Through a care-based approach, Bogotá has become a global inspiration for inclusion and sustainability by implementing a strategy of internationalization focused on caring for people, democracy, and the planet. Under the leadership of Mayor Claudia López, Bogotá has positioned itself as a global reference in advancing and fulfilling global agendas such as the Agenda 2030, the New Urban Agenda, and the Paris Agreement.
Bogotá's international action was not conceived as an end in itself but as a powerful tool to achieve territorial development goals and consolidate local public policies from a perspective of strategic planning. Bogotá's internationalization strategy has emerged as the ideal framework for global positioning of the city.
The significant achievements made by Bogotá on the international stage are the result of the trust and commitment of over 450 global allies through 2,126 internationalization actions from 2020 to 2023. Thanks to their support, the city improved the quality of life of its residents, strengthened the City's Development Plan, and responded to complex situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the migration crisis, and social unrest. Through technical and financial cooperation, as well as exchanges of knowledge and successful experiences, Bogotá had more tools to address these significant challenges and positioned the concept of care as a catalyst for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
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In this publication on X, Mayor Claudia López discusses the international recognition that Bogotá has received.
El Premio Internacional de Innovación Urbana de Guangzhou por las #ManzanasDelCuidado es también un homenaje al esfuerzo colectivo de la @secredistmujer y su secretaria Diana Rodríguez Franco @drodriguezfr, cuyo liderazgo y dedicación han sido fundamentales. Mi agradecimiento a… pic.twitter.com/SmuqSp5zYW
— Claudia López Hernández (@ClaudiaLopez) December 7, 2023
Three Determining Lines of Action
Within the internationalization strategy, the Mayor’s office for International Relationshas played a crucial role under three key lines of action:
Mobilization of Technical and Financial Resources: In the last quadrennium, more than $316 billion pesos were mobilized from various partnerships and sources of cooperation, strengthening strategic projects such as the City's Care System, Climate Action Policy, Multimodal and Sustainable Mobility System, Youth to University, social and economic integration of the migrant population, waste management, the Transport Operator - La Rolita, COVID-19 pandemic response, among others.
Global Positioning: Based on the quality of its local initiatives, Bogotá aspired to influence global collective action. Therefore, it has stood out as a reference in advancing and fulfilling global development agendas. Building on this foundation, it assumed leadership positions in the multilateral ecosystem of local governments, such as the presidency of Metropolis, vice-presidency of UCLG, presidency of the Ibero-American Center for Urban Strategic Development – CIDEU, regional vice-presidency of C40, and the vice-presidency of Social Policy and Well-being of UCCI. Additionally, the mayor was appointed Ambassador of UN Habitat for the New Urban Agenda and advocated for the voice of local governments in important forums like the United Nations General Assembly and COP 26 and 28.
Capacity Building: Bogotá developed and strengthened the capacities of public servants necessary for effective international action through knowledge management and exchange. The results of this work are reflected in the scale of resources mobilized, the number of concrete internationalization actions, and the international positioning achieved for Bogotá.
Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The international action contributed significantly to the implementation of the City's Development Plan 2020-2024, leading to significant progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Notable achievements include:
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, with 574 international interactions for projects such as the Carrera Séptima Green Corridor and the development of a sustainable multimodal transportation system.
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, with 278 international actions.
- SDG 5: Gender Equality, with 263 actions that reduced the burden of unpaid care, providing more opportunities for education and employment for women.
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, with 229 actions that solidified international cooperation as a significant part of the city's development strategy.
- SDG 4: Quality Education, with 169 actions that improved education in the city, including initiatives such as bilingualism, literacy, and the strengthening of educational technology.
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, with 124 actions that promoted policies with a focus on youth and female employment.
International Relevance Events
During this period, Bogotá hosted several internationally significant events, including the Bloomberg CityLab 2021, CIDEU Congress 2022, Metropolis Board of Directors 2022, Smart Cities Expo Bogota Congress 2023, World Forum of Cities and Territories of Peace 2023, Women Deliver Latin America 2023, and the P4G Global Summit, among many others.
Awards and Recognitions
The Mayor's Office of Bogotá received over 30 awards during this period, including the recent Global Urban Innovation Award from Guangzhou 2023, the One Planet City Challenge 2022 award from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the Well Being Cities 2021 award, recognizing achievements in strategic programs that contributed to the fulfillment of the City's Development Plan's purposes.
Bogotá demonstrated that international collaboration is key to its positioning and achieving fair and sustainable development that benefits all citizens. The city deeply appreciates its allies for their commitment and trust. The achievements of Mayor Claudia López's administration are a testament to what can be accomplished when working together toward a better future.
