A meeting between the UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro, Diego Zorrilla, and the Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, Mišela Manojlović, was held today in Podgorica. The meeting focused on familiarizing the UN Resident Coordinator with the activities and work of the Union of Municipalities, as well as on the cooperation to date with UN agencies in Montenegro and opportunities for further enhancing this cooperation.
The Secretary General briefed the UN Resident Coordinator on the work of the Union of Municipalities and the functioning of the local self-government system in Montenegro, highlighting the key role municipalities play in the everyday lives of citizens. She also emphasized the challenges municipalities face in their operations, including insufficient financial resources, limited administrative capacities and the need for further decentralization of government, while also pointing to the importance of stronger cooperation with central authorities in order to implement sustainable solutions to these challenges.
“The exchange of views and experiences with the UN system is extremely important, as it helps us better position ourselves in the process of addressing the challenges we face on a daily basis. This meeting is an opportunity to present challenges such as an inadequate legislative framework in many areas and problems with the implementation of laws, as well as to highlight the need to strengthen cooperation with the central authorities. We believe that by working together, we can find appropriate solutions and improve citizens’ living conditions,” Manojlović said.
Resident Coordinator Zorrilla expressed his support for the work and initiatives of the Union of Municipalities and emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacities of local authorities to implement sustainable policies. He also noted that UN agencies provide expert and technical assistance to local communities and that cooperation with the Union of Municipalities and central authorities is key to achieving progress.
The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange ideas, and the participants agreed that there is significant scope for further cooperation. Through joint initiatives with both UN agencies and central authorities, the aim is to strengthen the capacities of municipalities and improve the efficiency of service delivery to citizens.
At the conclusion of the meeting, it was agreed that the Union of Municipalities and the UN system would continue to strengthen their cooperation and work on implementing sustainable solutions for the development of local communities.
