The towns of Sétif, Skikda and Bou Ismaïl met in Algiers on the 8th July for the launch workshop of the network for exchange between towns dedicated to adaptation to climate change. Organised by MedCités as part of GIZ’s UrbA CliMA programme, this workshop marked the start of a cooperation process aimed at strengthening the capacities of local authorities and promoting the sharing of experiences and solutions to climate-related challenges.

The meeting brought together technical staff from the three Municipal People’s Assemblies (APCs), as well as representatives from MedCités, GIZ and the Ministry of the Interior and Local Authorities, the project’s institutional partner. The workshop was facilitated by expert Khaled BenAbdesslem, who guided the participants through the various working sessions and discussions.

This launch event provided an opportunity to present the initiative, explain how it works and lay the foundations for the three APCs’ involvement in this cooperative endeavour.

Identifying vulnerabilities and local solutions together

A key part of the workshop was devoted to cross-referencing climate vulnerabilities. Representatives from Sétif, Skikda and Bou Ismaïl shared the main risks and challenges facing their areas, highlighting not only common challenges but also issues specific to each local context.

Building on this shared assessment, participants discussed adaptation practices already being implemented at local authority level. The aim was to identify inspiring and transferable examples that could foster peer learning and strengthen local responses to climate change.

Towards an exchange between Algerian and Tunisian municipalities

The launch workshop also served to prepare the three municipalities for their participation in the exchange network between Algerian and Tunisian cities. Participants learnt how the future thematic sessions would operate and began to identify the technical staff who will oversee this cooperation within each municipality.

The discussions also helped to clarify the roles that the various towns could play within the network, particularly as lead towns or contributors on climate-related challenges, depending on their experiences and needs. Among the topics under consideration is a specific session dedicated to forest fires.

The day concluded with work in sub-groups aimed at prioritising key themes and identifying municipalities that could serve as resources for other members of the network. Pooling the results enabled progress towards a shared roadmap and the definition of the next steps.

This launch workshop thus represents a first step towards establishing sustainable cooperation between local authorities, based on peer learning, the sharing of municipal experiences and the search for concrete solutions to the climate challenges facing Mediterranean cities.