UCLG ASPAC elects new president

During the statutory meetings held in Jakarta today at UCLG ASPAC’s Fourth Congress, Dr Jatin Modi, President of the All India Institute of Local Self Government, was elected President of UCLG ASPAC for 2012-2013.

In a gesture of conciliation supported by UCLG ASPAC members, Dr Modi will share the two-year term of office with Syed Muhammad Ashgar Shah Gillani, President of the Punjab Local Council Association in Pakistan, who had contested the election against Dr Modi.  Mr. Gillani will take up the role of President for 2013-2014.

Congratulating Dr Modi and Mr Gillani on their willingness to share the presidency, Peter Woods, Ambassador to UCLG ASPAC, said: “This is going to strengthen the voice of Pakistani local governments to be able to say to the Pakistani central government that there needs to be a return to democratic local governance.”

The Co-Presidents of Asia’s largest association of city and local government leaders will be: Chen Haosu (Founding President of UCLG ASPAC); Felicity Ann Lewis, President of the Australian Local Government Association, who will be Co-President from the sub-region of the Pacific; Song Young-Gil, Mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City in South Korea, Co-President from the sub-region of east and north east Asia; and Krishna Prasad Jaishi from the Association of District Development Committees of Nepal.

The outgoing President of UCLG ASPAC, Fauzi Bowo, becomes Co-President in his role as immediate past President and his successor as Governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo, becomes Co-President of UCLG ASPAC by virtue of Jakarta being the location of the headquarters of the pan-Asian association. The next Congress of UCLG ASPAC will be held in Taipei in 2014.