Makati Mayor Abby Binay has been selected as a member of the United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments. She is the only Philippine mayor in the prestigious assembly.

In his letter to Mayor Abby, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored the important time-bound role of the Advisory Group in strengthening the engagement of local and regional governments in intergovernmental and national planning processes.

"As an Advisory Group member, I trust that I can count on your knowledge and expertise in the field of multi-level governance to localize and align efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals," Guterres stated.

"I look forward to the work you will undertake with fellow Advisory Group members to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda," the UN official further stated.

Mayor Abby has gladly accepted the appointment, noting the crucial role of local governance in global sustainable development.

"I am deeply honored to accept this crucial role and its responsibilities. I pledge to be the voice of cities throughout Southeast Asia, ensuring that our unique and shared challenges and aspirations echo in the corridors of global decision-making, driving meaningful change for a sustainable future for all," she said.

She said that the Makati city government understands that the majority of SDG targets cannot be met without the active participation of local and regional governments. "We are not just contributors; we are catalysts," she said.

Last 6 October, Mayor Abby joined the first hybrid meeting of the group among its 20 members presided over by Guterres. She pledged to work closely with the group to redefine the future of multilateralism from the grassroots up.

"As we consider ways to make multilateral institutions more effective, and to meet the current and future challenges facing people and planet, we need the perspectives and engagement of local and regional authorities," stated the Secretary-General during the opening of the meeting.
The Advisory Group will work over a one-year period and meet with the Secretary-General on three occasions to inform on local and regional governments' dimensions for consideration in preparatory processes of the Summit of the Future. The Group's work will also address modalities and means to enhance institutional mechanisms to strengthen the engagement of local and regional governments in intergovernmental processes.

It is also expected to create opportunities to strengthen cooperation between national and local and regional governments, and the UN Country Teams. Moreover, the group is expected to produce a set of recommendations with strategic guidance in the run-up to the Summit of the Future in September 2024.

Also in the group is another Filipino, former undersecretary Marivel Sacendoncillo of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Other city mayors appointed to the UNSG advisory body include Eric Adams (New York), Valerie Plante (Montreal), Sadiq Khan (London), Anne Hidalgo (Paris), Asmaa Rhlalou, (Rabat) Sharon Dijskma (Utrecht), Fatma Sahin (Gaziantep), Yousef Shawarbeh (Amman), Atiqul Islam (Dhaka North City), Bernard Wagner (Belize), and Carolina Cosse (Montevideo).

Other members include Catalina Velasco, Minister of Housing, City and Territory (Colombia), Nandita Chatterjee, former Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (India), Suleiman Adamu, Federal Ministry of Water Resources (Nigeria), Pilar Cancela Rodriguez, and State Secretary for International Cooperation (Spain).

Also in the group are Governor Paola Pabon (Pichincha), Governor Peter Anyang' Nyong'o (Kisumu County), and President Fatimetou Mint Abdel Malick (Nouakchott Region, Mauritania).

Recently, Mayor Abby also accepted a seat on the COP28 Advisory Committee. The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly referred to as COP28, will be the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference. It will be held from 30 November until 12 December 2023 at the Expo City, Dubai.

Mayor Abby is again the only mayor from the Philippines to be part of this exclusive committee.

The mayor's selection to these high-level positions highlights her dedication and expertise in tackling global challenges, particularly those related to sustainable development and climate change.

This is a significant advantage to the city of Makati as it allows the city to showcase its best practices and initiatives globally. It also opens opportunities for Mayor Abby to learn from other international leaders and bring back valuable insights and strategies to improve Makati's development efforts further.