Meinolf Spiekermann
International cooperation for development
Senior expert on issues of territorial development, politics and governance
city-zen@meinolfspiekermann.de | +49 176-21834547
Senior expert on issues of territorial development, politics and governance
city-zen@meinolfspiekermann.de | +49 176-21834547
Cities and regions are key to social, environmental, economic and cultural resilience and sustainability, on all levels of governance - local, national and global. This is my professional subject and one of my passions.
SDG: 65% of global sustainable development goals (SDG) require the commitment and respective capacities of local governments
Working context
Cities play an important role with regards to the way humanity will live in future. They are, above all, a platform for social, economic and political interaction, materialized by an environment of buildings, public space and infrastructure. Impressively, the UN 2030 agenda shows that, climate protection, public education and health, migration, social cohesion, democracy and more are to a great extend "urban". Two thirds of the SDG are realized in or with cities.
A fast growing number of cities are extending to urbanized metropolitan regions. Their GDP exceeds the one of many states. Technical and financial capacities as well as institutional structures for efficient and democratic governance as well as for economic competition and climate resilience are key to sustainability, security, peace and general welfare – locally, regionally and globally. Yet, in many countries they need to be professionalized to cope with the challenges ahead. In so-called failed states municipal administrations can even be the point of start for a new statehood.
Cities play an important role with regards to the way humanity will live in future. They are, above all, a platform for social, economic and political interaction, materialized by an environment of buildings, public space and infrastructure. Impressively, the UN 2030 agenda shows that, climate protection, public education and health, migration, social cohesion, democracy and more are to a great extend "urban". Two thirds of the SDG are realized in or with cities.
A fast growing number of cities are extending to urbanized metropolitan regions. Their GDP exceeds the one of many states. Technical and financial capacities as well as institutional structures for efficient and democratic governance as well as for economic competition and climate resilience are key to sustainability, security, peace and general welfare – locally, regionally and globally. Yet, in many countries they need to be professionalized to cope with the challenges ahead. In so-called failed states municipal administrations can even be the point of start for a new statehood.
State reform, decentralized governance and local politics: Development of cities and regions require concertation among many stakeholders and a strategic policy approach / my service: strategic advise, preparatory studies, facilitation of multi-actor decision-making processes.
In this regard, the international cooperation for development (IC) regards "urban" as a sphere of intervention, rather than a sector theme. IC is made in and with cities.
UN Habitat estimated in 2016, that global urban population will double by 2050. Building or consolidating technical, institutional, financial, managerial and governance capacities of municipal governments for social cohesion as well as economic and ecological sustainability and cultural identity is, together with other subjects, decisive for the global future.
Social cohesion & local democracy: Cities are places of intensive social and economic interaction, and the first destination of migrants. Inclusiveness in urban development requires fair negotiation of interests / my service: capacity building, strategies and tools for inclusive urban/territorial development.
Setting free local creativity is a constitutional challenge in many countries with traditionally centralized governance structures. Transfer of competences and the promotion of local capacities are two sides of the same coin and must be developed in parallel and iteratively.
In this regard, municipal self-government is a constitutional pillar for democratic statehood, as citizen-oriented municipal governance is a stronghold on local capacity for development. Well managed cities play a key-role in local, national and global development.
Project Management & technical advise / my service: long-term or interim project management, advise on inclusive urban development and governance, support to project managers, organisation study tours (Europe), moderation/facilitation of workshops and conferences, project appraisals
My professional circuit
I am working since more than 30 years on these issues, promoting capacities and structures in the context of international cooperation:
I am working since more than 30 years on these issues, promoting capacities and structures in the context of international cooperation:
- Sustainable urban and regional development
- Decentralisation, territorial governance, local democracy and social cohesion
- Metropolitan development & models of regional cooperation, territorial cohesion
- Municipal and civil society networks for cooperation, peer-to-peer learning
- City-to-city cooperation
- Rehabilitation (conservation and development) of cultural urban heritage
Rehabilitation of historic cities: Historic cities are cultural heritage, often qualified by the UN as world heritage, and an important part of urban identity / my service: advise to integrated, inclusive and strategic urban development which combines conservation with careful renewal and rehabilitation.
Services offered
Backed by this longstanding cooperation experience in Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean region, I am offering advisory and management services in the context of international cooperation in the fields of:
Backed by this longstanding cooperation experience in Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean region, I am offering advisory and management services in the context of international cooperation in the fields of:
- Management of projects and comprehensive processes of transformation· Strategies, project concepts, evaluation
- Inclusive urban and regional development, planning and design
- Decentralisation and capacities for municipal self-administration
- Technical and institutional capacities for sustainable urban and regional development
- Inter-municipal networks and dialogue for cooperation
- Metropolitan regions, facilitation of multi-actor concertation processes
- Rehabilitation of cultural urban heritage
Networks: Inter-institutional and/or inter-municipal networks strengthen capacities of local governments / my service: development of concepts for cooperation and peer-to-peer learning, facilitation and coaching of networks
- Concept development, planning and moderation of study visits, workshops and conferences
- Contribution to policies and strategies of international cooperation for development
- Evaluation and design of projects, mentoring and backstopping
- Academic lecturing
Languages:
French, English (professional fluency)
Arabic (basic conversation)
German (native tongue)
Regions of interest:
Worldwide
Cities as political actors for development/Challenges for Maghreb's municipalities
In the frame of global political distortions and challenges for a safe future, cities are engaging in subjects that increasingly make them to political actors for development. International development cooperation must adapt strategies accordingly. This video shows some examples in the Maghreb region of the context.
In the frame of global political distortions and challenges for a safe future, cities are engaging in subjects that increasingly make them to political actors for development. International development cooperation must adapt strategies accordingly. This video shows some examples in the Maghreb region of the context.
Contact
Meinolf Spiekermann
Meinolf Spiekermann
Klewitzweg 4
44267 Dortmund
Germany
Mobil: +49 (0) 176-21834547
E-Mail: city-zen@meinolfspiekermann.de
Web: www.meinolfspiekermann.de
44267 Dortmund
Germany
Mobil: +49 (0) 176-21834547
E-Mail: city-zen@meinolfspiekermann.de
Web: www.meinolfspiekermann.de