Partnerships and International Cooperation

Partnerships and International Cooperation

Throughout 2025, APLA continued to consolidate international partnerships and decentralised cooperation as a conscious strategic choice that is not limited to the developmental dimension, but rather integrates political representation and advocacy for Palestinian rights with building the capacities of LGUs and strengthening their resilience in the fields of governance, recovery, and sustainable development. This approach was reflected in an integrated and progressively advancing track that included the conclusion of strategic agreements with international municipal associations, expansion of decentralised cooperation, and influential presence in international urban hubs. It also involved institutionalisation of the twinning programme within APLA as a practical and systematic framework that is measurable, developable, and scalable, enhancing the position of Palestinian LGUs as active partners in the international municipal sphere. 

Strategic Agreements and Alliances

APLA consolidated its institutional partnerships through long-term agreements and alliances aimed at institutionalising cooperation, exchanging expertise, and developing joint programmes that go beyond symbolic support.

Key agreements:

  • Strategic agreement with the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye to strengthen bilateral cooperation, exchange expertise, implement development projects, and unify international advocacy efforts in defence of the question of Palestine.  
  • A membership agreement with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) to enhance knowledge exchange, build professional capacities, implement training and learning programmes, and expand the international network of Palestinian LGUs. 

  • Launch of an institutional cooperation track with the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) and its regional partners, as a cumulative decentralised cooperation pathway aimed at expanding twinning programmes, building direct partnerships between Palestinian and Italian cities, and preparing the ground for signing some 20 cooperation and twinning agreements between Palestinian and Italian cities, in line with a phased vision that transitions cooperation from coordination and pilot initiatives to long-term institutional partnerships based on solidarity, shared responsibility, and direct municipal action. 

  • Strategic cooperation with the Barcelona Provincial Council, establishing a long-term institutional partnership grounded in a comprehensive approach to building municipal capacities through advanced training programmes and the exchange of practical expertise in urban planning, local governance, and sustainability, alongside activating pathways for mutual learning and decentralised cooperation. These link Palestinian LGUs with leading Catalan experiences and strengthen their capacity to translate international knowledge into practical interventions that support local resilience and sustainable development. 


Decentralised Cooperation and Twinning

During 2025, APLA worked towards institutionalising decentralised cooperation as an organised institutional pathway within a strategic orientation aimed at shifting from fragmented international relations to a clear national framework that leads international municipal cooperation and enhances the ability of Palestinian LGUs to benefit from these partnerships in line with their development priorities and institutional capacities. 
This approach was based on viewing decentralised cooperation as a practical tool for capacity building, exchange of expertise, and promoting the international presence of LGUs, rather than merely as protocol or symbolic relations. Accordingly, APLA focused on establishing the institutional and organisational foundations that ensure the sustainability of these partnerships and their direct linkage to local planning, the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the strengthening of LGU resilience. 
 

Key Features of Institutional Work in 2025 

  • Established a structured framework for decentralised cooperation led by APLA, aimed at standardising the principles and methodologies governing the relations of Palestinian LGUs with international partners, and ensuring their alignment with national and sectoral priorities.

  • Formed the International Partnerships and Decentralised Cooperation Team, composed of representatives from Palestinian municipalities with experience in international engagement, to serve as a joint production framework for developing tools, transferring knowledge, and exchanging expertise among LGUs.

  • Held an intensive three-day workshop with the participation of the Partnerships Team, which resulted in the development of a package of tools, including:
    o    A guide on twinning and decentralised cooperation. 
    o    An institutional readiness assessment tool for LGUs.
    o    Standardised templates for agreements and partnership protocols.
    o    An annual action plan for the partnerships track, based on three pillars: capacity building, national networking, and international municipal diplomacy. 
     


 

Strategic International Cooperation Tracks
4
Strategic International Cooperation Tracks
Active International Participation
5
Active International Participation
Member of the International Partnerships Team
13
Member of the International Partnerships Team
LGU Represented in the UCLG-MEWA World Council
17
LGU Represented in the UCLG-MEWA World Council
LGU Represented in the UCLG-MEWA Executive Bureau
5
LGU Represented in the UCLG-MEWA Executive Bureau
LGU Represented in UCLG-MEWA Specialized Committees
7
LGU Represented in UCLG-MEWA Specialized Committees

International Presence and Municipal Advocacy 

APLA strengthened its presence in international forums as a political and professional voice for Palestinian LGUs, linking local development with justice and the right to self-determination. 

Key Milestones:

Strong Palestinian participation in the Marmara Urban Forum (MARUF25), which included: 

  • The Palestine Pavilion at the urban exhibition. 
  • Participation in the main forum session entitled “Cities in Times of War”. 
  • Organisation of a dedicated session entitled “Cities that Listen and Cities that Lead: Stories from the Palestinian Frontlines”.
  • Participation in the meeting of municipal associations, which brought together municipal networks from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
  • Participation in the “Liveable Cities” session through presenting the Palestinian experience in promoting transparency and accountability in LGUs as an entry point for good governance.
     

Organised a study tour to Türkiye to enhance transparency and community accountability, with the participation of 5 heads of LGUs.


Conducted an official visit to Italy under the LAND Project, which included:

  • o    Meetings with the UMBRIA Provincial Council, Perugia and Turin municipalities, and ANCI.
  • Official political positions recognising the State of Palestine, issued by municipal and regional councils.
  • Expansion of twinning programmes and institutional cooperation.

Organizing a study tour to Turkey to enhance transparency and community accountability, with the participation of five LGUs Mayors.

تنظيم جولة دراسية إلى تركيا لتعزيز الشفافية والمساءلة المجتمعية بمشاركة 5 رؤساء هيئات محلية

Active participation in the conference “Sustainable Cities with an Arab Identity” in Cairo, positioning the Palestinian experience within its proper context. 

UCLG-MEWA | Institutionalising Palestinian Representation in Regional Leadership

2025 marked an advanced milestone in institutionalising Palestinian representation within United Cities and Local Governments – Middle East and West Asia (UCLG-MEWA), through attaining leadership positions that reflect the weight of Palestinian LGUs as well as their institutional and political role.  

  • APLA President as Co-President of UCLG-MEWA. 
  • Mayor of Hebron as President of UCLG-MEWA.

Representation in Figures 

  • Palestinian representation in 3 main leadership structures within UCLG-MEWA: the Presidency, the Executive Bureau, and the World Council.

  • 2 leadership positions at the presidential level:

  • Representation of 5 Palestinian LGUs in the UCLG Executive Bureau

  • Representation of 17 Palestinian LGUs in the UCLG World Council. 

  • Active Palestinian participation in 7 specialised committees within UCLG-MEWA. 

International Solidarity and Symbolic Initiatives

APLA activated tools of international solidarity as part of municipal diplomacy, linking symbolic action with political engagement.

Key Initiatives:

  • Launched the initiative “From Every French City… A Light for Palestine” with the participation of 11 French municipalities, within the framework of “Year of Palestine 2025”, as a political and moral message against the aggression. 
  • Continued to follow up on the “Year of Palestine 2025” initiative despite the cancellation by the occupying authorities of visas for a French municipal delegation comprising approximately 50 representatives. 
     

National Partnerships and Institutional Diplomacy
In addition to international partnerships, APLA worked to strengthen integration with national institutions and diplomatic missions.

Developed an institutional partnership with the Palestinian Environment Quality Authority (PEQA) in environmental policy, planning, and capacity building.

Held coordination meetings with the French Consulate to enhance support for LGUs in the northern West Bank and to develop a more equitable and responsive model of decentralised cooperation.

Held high-level meetings with the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) to explore prospects for cooperation and the role of municipalities in recovery and political advocacy.