Mayor Altay Elected President of UCLG

Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay has been elected President of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the world’s largest network of local governments.

The UCLG World Council Meeting, held in Tangier, Morocco, brought together representatives from across the globe for the organization’s presidential election.

Mayor Altay secured a decisive victory over the Mayor of Mexico City and was elected UCLG President for the 2026–2029 term. In this role, he will represent more than 240,000 local and regional governments worldwide.

Expressing his pride in the result, Mayor Altay said that Konya was honored to lead an organization that brings together 240,000 local governments from around the world under one umbrella.

“It has been a long journey and a tremendous effort. We spent seven years working intensively, engaging with people from every corner of the world and conducting negotiations across different regions. In the end, we achieved a significant success for our country. From now on, we will continue to represent municipalities worldwide by advocating for the voices of people living in oppressed regions, especially Gaza, promoting the well-being of residents in our cities, and contributing ideas and solutions on major global issues, particularly climate change.

“This outcome represents far more than a personal appointment. It is a clear reflection of the confidence placed in Konya, our country, and Türkiye’s approach to local governance. It also marks a new milestone for the Konya Model of Municipal Governance, whose influence now extends beyond our borders to inspire cities around the world. Most importantly, this achievement is a victory for the international standing, reputation, and global representation of our historic city. Together, we will continue to strengthen Konya’s presence on the world stage and proudly represent both our city and our country in every international platform.”

United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) represents more than 240,000 local governments and over 175 associations of local and regional governments across 140 countries.