Binay appointed member of UN advisory group

MANILA, Philippines — Makati Mayor Abby Binay has been selected as a member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments, the city government announced yesterday.

Binay is the only Philippine mayor appointed to the international assembly.

The UN advisory group is a conglomeration of regional and local leaders around the world, who will work together to help achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a letter to Binay, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he is confident that her background in governance would help the group achieve its goals.

“As an advisory group member, I trust that I can count on your knowledge and expertise in the field of multilevel governance to localize and align efforts to achieve the SDGs,” Guterres told Binay.

“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 added.

Binay accepted the role, vowing to be the voice of Southeast Asia in global decision-making.

She also highlighted the crucial role of local governance in global sustainable development, noting that the majority of the SGDs could not be achieved without the participation of local and regional governments.

“I am honored to accept this crucial role and its responsibilities,” Binay said.

“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 added.

Binay attended the first hybrid meeting of the advisory group on Oct. 6.

During the meeting, she pledged to work closely with the group to redefine the future of multilateralism from the grassroots up.

The UN advisory group aims to enhance institutional mechanisms to strengthen the engagement of local and regional governments in intergovernmental processes.

It is also tasked to create opportunities to strengthen cooperation among national, local and regional governments.

Over a one-year work period, 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.

It is composed of 20 city mayors from different cities and states, including New York, Montreal, London, Paris, Rabat, Utrecht, Gaziantep, Amman, Dhaka North City, Belize and Montevideo.

The list also includes mayors from Colombia, India, Nigeria, Spain, Pichincha, Kisumu Country and Mauritania.