Regions and local authorities

ART-GOLD

ART is a French acronym for "support to territorial and thematic networks of human development cooperation". An international co-operation initiative that brings together the programmes of several United Nations Agencies (eg UNDP, UNESCO, UNIFEM, WHO, UNAIDS, ILO, UNITAR, UNCDF, UNOPS, …), ART GOLD was launched in 2004, and stems from the human development framework programmes developed since 1989: PRODERE, SMALP, HEDIP, PDHL, PDHI, SEHD, ATLANTE, PRINT, PASARP, CITY TO CITY, APPI, UNIVERSITAS.

The programme helps regional and local authorities in the South and the North to set up alliances and partnerships in support of local development and governance processes prioritised by countries through ART GOLD programmes. More than 300 decentralized cooperation partnerships operate in different countries and, in the North, include regional and local governments of Belgium, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

ART involves local communities in development processes, and promotes a new type of multilateralism in which the United Nations system works together with governments to promote the active participation of regional and local authorities, local communities and social stakeholders in the South and the North, while striving to fulfil the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.