DPIDG was requested by United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG/Africa) and the African Local Governments Academy to provide support on capacity building, professionalization of cadres in the public sector at the local level, good governance, and learning between peers (networks-networks), with the aim of strengthening institutions at the local level for the achievement of the SDGs in the Region.
UCLG Africa is the umbrella organization and the united voice and representative of local governments in Africa. It was founded in 2005 in the City of Tshwane, South Africa as a result of the unification of three continental groups of local governments, namely the African Union of Local Authorities (AULA); the Union des Villes Africaines (UVA); and the Africa Chapter of the Unao dos Ciudades y Capitaes Lusofono Africana, (UCCL AFRICA).
Established as the African section of the world organization UCLG (United Cities and Local Governments), UCLG Africa now boasts a membership of 44 national associations of local governments from all regions of Africa, as well as 2000 cities that have more than 100,000 inhabitants. As such, the organization represents nearly 350 million African citizens.
Its headquarters are in the City of Rabat, The Kingdom of Morocco, where it enjoys diplomatic status as a Pan-African International Organization.