The 2022-23 U20 cycle has been declared a success by all members
With the highest recorded in-person participation in any U20 Mayoral Summit, mayors of 105 cities have endorsed the @U20India Communique 2023, towards ensuring resilient cities and an inclusive urban future.

The Summit, held under India’s presidency of the G20 for the year 2022-23, was organised n Ahmedabad on July 7-8.

The Communiqué is an actionable guide towards the six prioritised agendas decided by the U20 cities: encouraging environmentally responsible behaviour, accelerating climate finance, championing local culture and economy, ensuring water security, catalysing digital urban futures, and reinventing frameworks for urban planning and governance. It reflects the G20’s theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”

Addressing the gathering, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said, “Cities are going to be central to achieving various global goals related to sustainability, inclusivity and climate resilience.”

He highlighted 9 specific areas for cities to work on:

* Strengthen local governance
* Plan beyond traditional boundaries
* Push for financially self-reliant cities
* Foster a culture of innovation
* Harness the power of data and technology
* Shift from regulation to facilitation
* Focus on impacts not outcome
* Put citizens at the heart of urban policy
* Leverage local culture and economy

G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant also brought to light the role cities can play towards a sustainable future. The Summit, he reiterated, comes at a great time, in the wake of a widespread recession, the climate change crisis, and geopolitical issues. He emphasised on the need for adequate infrastructure finance for cities, and better urban planning. He also stressed how the discussion at the U20 has aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, for inclusivity, decisiveness, and action-orientation.

The handover of the Communiqué was moderated by the U20 convenors, C20 Cities, and UCLG; it was handed over by the Mayor of Ahmedabad to Puri and Kant.

The Indian Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), and the U20 Technical Secretariat hosted the U20 Mayoral Summit. Spotlight sessions, thematic sessions, and closed-door sessions with mayors and knowledge partners were organised as part of the Summit.

This U20 cycle has created records with the deliverables published: 50 articles, 6 extensive background research papers, 6 white papers on the priority areas, and 6 U20 bulletins. It also released the Policy Brief on Mainstreaming Gender in U20 and the Ahmedabad Resilient City Climate Action Plan, which gives an actionable roadmap for the achievement of net-zero emissions by 2070.

It was recognised widely by the members of the current U20 cycle that it has been a huge success this year.