(MENAFN- Morocco World News) Rabat – Rabat will host the second ordinary meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Urban Development, Local Government and Decentralization (STC-8) of the African Union on March 28.

This will be the first time that the committee's important development and government decentralization planning work will take place in Morocco since the kingdom returned to the AU early last year, reported Maghreb Arab Press.

The event will be preceded by two days of technical expert working sessions that are scheduled for March 26-27.

The meeting's overall objective is to provide a platform for Ministers of Public Service, Decentralization and Local Government and their representatives to review the progress concerning the implementation of the AU's policy and strategies on public services, urban development and decentralization.

The meeting is tasked with promoting and monitoring the implementation of the African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service, Local Governance and Local Development, as well as the development, promotion and implementation of the African Charter on Values and Principles of Urban Management and Urban Development.

The meeting will be chaired by Barnabé Zinsou Dassigli, Minister of Decentralization and Local Governance of the Republic of Benin and the current president of the AU- STC.

The meeting will also oversee the creation of the High Council of Local Authorities which was established by the AU Conference of Heads of State and Government held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in June 2014.

Additionally, meeting participants will discuss the participation and contribution of the STC-8 at the 8th annual Africities Summit that will take place November 20-24 in Marrakech.

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