• Advocacy and knowledge exchanges at the global level.

Today, the development landscape is at a crossroads; within the next two years it is expected to undergo one of the most significant overhauls in the recent history of international development. Ongoing debates are gradually shaping and will eventually determine a new set of goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (the successors of the MDGs), embedded within a revamped development framework (post-2015) and the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation. In 2013, these processes have been a major working theme for development actors, as discussions have involved extensive global consultations. The negotiations have to culminate with concrete decisions in 2015 at the latest, when the MDGs’ framework comes to an end. In addition, there are several ongoing key international policy discussions on innovative methodologies and approaches that could become instrumental in implementing the new development agenda, for example the World Forums of Local Economic Development (LED) and DC, included within the UN Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) debates.

Owing to its experience in territorial development and its first-hand knowledge of the local level, the ART Initiative has been actively involved in these international debates, which are shaping the future development agenda and redefining the relations between the local, national and global levels. Along with key strategic partners such as LRGs, civil society, academia and private sector partners, the Initiative informs the discussions and positions the local level within these debates.

• Activities at the national, regional and local level. 

Established at the request of Governments and contextualized to each particular local situation, in 2013 the ART Initiative was active in 22 countries, demonstrating how multiple and different actors can improve impact and sustainability using a common framework. Many of these first-generation ART Programmes are now informing new UNDP and Government initiatives (e.g. Morocco and Lebanon). Two new ART FPs have been initiated in Nicaragua and Tunisia (to be fully active in 2014) and ART's expertise and methodologies are informing UNDP local governance and local development programmes (e.g. Burundi).

Click here to discover the activities around the world.