Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru has underscored the critical role of local leadership in delivering global development goals at New York University’s Centre for International Cooperation while in the New York for the United Nations General Assembly high-level summit.
Representing the Council of Governors and Kenya’s county leadership, Waiguru told the gathering that local governance is “the first mile of global impact.”
“When local leaders help shape decisions from the start, global commitments become real change for our people,” she said.
The NYU Center on International Cooperation was marking its 30th anniversary on Thursday evening as it hosted “CIC at 30: Local Governance for Global Impact” at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, where Dean Polly Trottenberg welcomed guests and set the stage for a discussion that underscored the vital link between city-level leadership and broader international goals.
Speakers included United Nations Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming and World Bank Special Representative Maria Dimitriadou highlighted how local actions drove global progress, while messages from The Hague Mayor Jan van Zanen and former Quito Mayor Mauricio Rodas reinforced the same theme of interconnected urban and multilateral efforts.
In her remarks, Waiguru welcomed an assurance from UN Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming that regional and local governments will be included in the upcoming SDG Summit.
She described the commitment as a timely recognition that lasting progress depends on genuine partnership with those closest to communities.
The Governor’s engagement at the University forms part of her broader participation in high-level meetings during the UN General Assembly.
Kenya’s leaders have increasingly sought a stronger voice in international forums, arguing that subnational governments are best placed to translate global agendas into practical results on the ground.
Waiguru’s remarks highlight the growing call for inclusive multilateral processes that bring local and regional authorities into decision-making from the outset, particularly as the world works to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
