Uraía is a platform for exchange about the possibilities offered by SMART technologies to innovate local public management. We support local governments in their effort to improve local finances, reduce the cost of public services and reinforce transparency and accountability by opening new channels of communication with the citizen.
The word "Uraía" means "Citizenship" in the Swahili language.
The Uraía Platform analyses and shares city experiences; organizes knowledge exchanges; produces recommendations on specific topics of interest for cities; offers opportunities for networking and match-making between cities and their partners; and also offers technical assistance to partner cities to develop innovative pilot-projects.
Uraía gathers 100 partners including local governments and their associations; service and technology providers from the private sector; universities, experts and research institutes; international organizations, civil society; and ministries or national departments in charge of innovation in public management.
Uraía gathers 100 partners, including local governments and their associations; service and technology providers from the private sector; universities, experts and research institutes; international organizations, civil society; and ministries or national departments in charge of innovation in public management.
The platform was created in 2014 to facilitate peer-to-peer learning, foster transfer and adaptation of SMART solutions. Uraía encourages experimentation of apps and new ways of managing cities.
The Uraía Platform was established as collaboration between two international institutions working to improve the life of urban citizen's around the world: Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV) and the Local government and decentralization Unit of UN-Habitat. Both institutions believe that SMART technologies represent an extraordinary opportunity to reinforce the capacity of local governments to respond to the accelerated urban challenges and the increasing citizen´s demands.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme is the focal point for cities within the United Nations System, supporting local and territorial governments as essential agents for development and the closest entity to the citizen to provide citizen representation and basic urban services. The Local government and decentralization Unit works closely with local government and their associations in a) identifying trends in urban governance, focusing on the need to establish permanent structures of dialogue between the different levels of government and providing opportunities for enhance participation of the private and social stakeholders b) institutional and financial sustainability: to be able to "do their job" local government need good public financial management systems to ensure that public services reach those who needs it the most c) transparency in management and delivery, , local governments need to communicate better and to understand the needs of their constituency as governing without the citizen has become almost impossible.
~Diana Lopez Caramazana, Head, Local government and decentralization Unit , UN HABITAT
The alliance of local and regional governments on local economic development and financing for subnational action was created by UCLG and Metropolis, provides solutions and expertise to create and implement the enabling environment, appropriate conditions and mechanisms allowing local and regional governments’ access to the necessary resources to fund their urban development strategies, especially through long-term and hybridized financing. FMDV also leads the debate between multi-scale urban stakeholders via the publication of reference works on the topic, thematic case studies and the organization of dedicated seminars. Its operating and coordination methods promote a multi-stakeholder culture based on dynamic cooperation and exchanges between local authorities, notably South-South or through South- South-North triangular partnerships. Based in Paris, FMDV has Regional offices for Africa (in Rabat), for Latin America (in Mexico City), for Middle East and West Asia (in Mashhad in Iran), and three national representations in Istanbul for Turkey, Brasilia for Brazil and Washington DC for the US.
~Jean François Habeau, FMDV Executive Director
