Over the course of 2017 and 2018, the cities of Tunis and Barcelona, with the support of MedCities, have completed several exchange missions. The two cities are in the process of identifying the objectives of the bilateral cooperation framework agreement which is being defined between them.

The most recent mission – carried out in December 2018 – was the opportunity to define the short-term actions that will be implemented from 2019 onwards in matters of urban management and planning. Meetings were held between the services of both cities in the areas of urban planning, green spaces, the management of municipal markets and international cooperation. Among the agreements reached is the identification of a pilot action related to the management and design of green spaces; an urban space has been selected for analysis and re-design, which will incorporate criteria related to sustainability and easy maintenance. The pilot will draw on processes of citizen participation.

The timetable for the launch of bilateral cooperation includes the signing of a framework agreement between both cities and the definition of a first action plan – for the years 2019 and 2020 – which will provide for further action in relation to the management of green spaces and urban planning, among other areas.

In the course of the various missions, the themes of public spaces and urban green spaces have became the focus of the technical exchanges between the two cities. The conclusions drawn from this series of visits shape the identification of three scales of future action: public spaces, governance within the framework of municipal services, and strategy for green spaces and pilot actions.