The first forum for local government officials and managers of training institutions who offer training for African local governments took place at the Campus of the International University of Rabat (UIR), located at the Technopolis of Salé (Morocco) on September 18-20, 2017. The forum was dedicated to the theme, "Human Resources in African Local Governments: The Time to Act ... is Now!" and was sponsored by the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG-Africa) (www.AfriqueLocale.org/en) and its African Local Government Academy (ALGA).

The forum was attended by more than 400 participants from 58 countries, of which 46 were from countries in Africa, including Ministers, Presidents of Associations of Local Governments, Presidents and Directors of Training Institutes, local government senior staff, experts in local governance and members from civil societies and the general public.

Proceedings were opened by His Excellency Mr. Noureddine BOUTAYEB, Minister-Delegate to the Minister of Home Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco at the opening ceremony which was attended by: His Excellency Mohamed BENABDELKADER, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge of Administration and Civil Service Reform, Morocco; Her Excellency Ms. Jeanne d'Arc KAGAYO UMURUNDI, Minister of Municipal Development of Burundi; Her Excellency Ms. Hajia ALIMA MAHAMA, Minister of Decentralization and Rural Development of Ghana; Mr. Ahmed Ould BAH, Director of External Relations of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO); Mr. Cheikh Ould Ahmed Ould BAYA, President of the Association of Mayors of Mauritania, Vice-President of UCLG-Africa for the Region of Northern Africa; Mr. Mohand LAENSER, President of the Association of Regions of Morocco (ARM); and Mr. Mohamed BOUDRA, President of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils (AMPCC).

The three day forum addressed the following issues with extensive discussion around:

• The place of human capital in the new geopolitical context of decentralization in Africa;
• Networking of local government senior staff and peer learning;
• Promotion of the quality of education, training and capacity building targeting local government administration;

Attendees included the following partners: the Department of Public Administration and Development Management; the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; the Bahrain Institute of Public Administration (BIPA); Cities Alliance; the National Center of Local Government Civil Service (CNFPT); the Seoul Human Resources Development Center (SHRDC); the Metropolis International Training Institute (MITI); the International City Management Association (ICMA) of USA; European Federation of Local Government Chief Executive Officers (UDITE); AAPAM Africa; the French Union of Directors General of Local Governments (SNDGCT); the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF); and the African Training and Research Center in Administration for Development (CAFRAD).

Proceedings ended with the adoption of a declaration from Salé which highlighted the challenges being faced in human resources for local governments, the urgency for training and the need to find sustainable solutions that would address the problem of funding for training and capacity building of elected officials and senior staff in African local governments.

The African Local Government Academy (ALGA) of UCLG-Africa was proposed as a center of excellence for the modernization and professionalization of management for local governments on the continent.

Participants expressed their interest that the forum of Salé be scheduled as an annual event at the International University of Rabat (UIR) under the aegis of UCLG-Africa and ALGA.