​On 30 November, during the opening session of the 2023 edition of the "Regions and Cities for International Partnerships" forum, our member Miquel Royo Vidal, Director-General for Global Affairs at the Department of Foreign Action, Institutional Relations and Transparency in the Government of Catalonia remarked on the importance of the EU's Global Gateway agenda in a changing geopolitical context.

The session gathered representatives of local and regional authorities from across the globe who exchanged views with European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen.

He emphasized the crucial need to highlight the significant role of sub-national authorities in international partnerships, especially in their execution, by bridging global policies with practical implementation on the ground. He underscored the necessity for a robust network of democratic subnational institutions to effectively contribute as essential partners for global development. Specifically, he advocated for regions to become recipients of decentralized cooperation within the framework of the Global Gateway initiative.

Mr Royo emphasized that the foremost value in our strategies should be inclusion. He outlined Catalonia's key priorities, which include combating gender violence, upholding human rights, fostering transformative economies, protecting the environment, and facilitating the integration of refugees and migrants.

He concluded his remarks by stating, "Authentic progress doesn't solely result from grand strategies but from effecting changes in the everyday lives of citizens."