At the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Cairo, the Basque Country presented its proposal to join the United Nations Local2030 Hubs network.

• A delegation from the Basque Country participated in the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Cairo to present the Basque strategy for integrating the SDGs through a multilevel and multi-stakeholder governance model.
• The proposal to establish the Basque Country as a new Local2030 Hub on governance would facilitate the enhancement of the Basque Country's performance in the implementation of the SDGs at both the local and global levels.
• The Basque Government, represented by Secretary General of Foreign Affairs Ander Caballero, participated in the plenary session, "Stronger together." The Government emphasized its commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and “recognising that global challenges require robust local solutions.”
• It is estimated that over 60% of the SDGs rely to a significant extent on effective collaboration and coordination with local and regional governments and communities. 

The Secretary General of Foreign Affairs, Ander Caballero, and Asier Aranbarri, Director of Social Innovation of the General Secretariat for Social Transition and Agenda 2030 of the Basque Government, participated in the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF) from 5 to 7 November in Cairo. The Basque delegation was also represented by Eider Inunciaga, Delegate Councillor of the Basque Language, Public Service and Participation, Agenda 2030 and International Area of the Bilbao City Council, and Kristian Prieto, Director of BBK Kuna.

At the WUF, the principal international forum for addressing sustainable urban development issues, the Basque delegation held meetings with representatives of the Local2030 Coalition, the Local2030 Hubs of the Coalition (including the Paraná and Liverpool Hubs), and international organisations UCLG and Regions4-SDG. Furthermore, a meeting was held with Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, who will be visiting the Basque Country shortly to gain a deeper understanding of the United Nations Local2030 Secretariat and the Basque strategy and contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the WUF, the Basque Country presented its proposal to become the new Hub of the United Nations Local2030 Coalition. The proposal is driven by the strategic location of the global and permanent headquarters of the UN Local2030 Coalition Secretariat in the Basque Country. This has positioned the region as a global reference point in terms of localising the SDGs, as well as promoting multi-level coherence and public-private collaboration for the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The Hub's objective is to reinforce the democratic system through three key strategies: (1) collaborative governance, which is a driver of territorial competitiveness; (2) cultural and linguistic diversity; and (3) financing localisation through public-private partnerships.

Local2030 Hubs address diverse local priorities and share knowledge on effective coordination of local actors, multi-level challenges and models of local impact that can be replicated at the global level. At present, there are eight Hubs located across the globe. The locations are Paraná, Liverpool, Shizuoka, Hawai’i, Sahel, Colombia, Malmö and Sweden.

In summary, the acceptance of the Basque Country as a new Local2030 Hub would facilitate the advancement of the Basque Country in the implementation of the SDGs at the local and global levels. It would provide resources, knowledge, strategies and innovative solutions that could benefit other cities and regions worldwide.

Ander Caballero, Secretary General of Foreign Affairs, took part in the plenary session 'Dialogue 3: Stronger together' of the WUF, where he highlighted the Basque Country's dedication to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, and “[recognised] that global challenges require robust local solutions.”

Caballero outlined the key principles that underpin the Basque strategy to integrate the SDGs into all aspects of governance and development: (1) Decision-making and policy implementation through the participation of public institutions, the private sector, civil society, universities and the public; (2) The creation of a system of governance in which all levels of government share responsibilities and a common commitment to the SDGs; and (3) The constitution of the 'Euskadi Agenda 2030 Forum' as a space that promotes the participation of different actors in decision-making and in the implementation of projects aligned with the SDGs to maximise the impact of each initiative. In summary, the Secretary General stated that the objective is “to construct more equitable, inclusive and sustainable societies to reinforce the sense of community and shared responsibility.”