Honourable Joaquim Chissano was accorded the first Honorary membership of the UCLGA
in recognition of the tremendous role he played to the successful founding of the UCLGA
as the then serving Chairman of the African Union.

Hon. Chissano is former president of the Republic of Mozambique.

General Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, is the former President of the Republic of Nigeria
and is the immediate past Chairman of the African Union.

Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa is the President the United Cites and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA),
as well as the Chairman of the African Union of Local Authorities (AULA).He is also currently the President
of the Africities Political Committee.

In May 2004 in Paris, France at the Founding Congress of the United Cities and Local Governments
(UCLG - an international local government world body which represents all local authorities and local
government within the United Nations and at international level), Father Mkhatshwa was elected co-President
of UCLG, along with Mr. Bertrand Delanoe, the Mayor of the City of Paris (France) and Ms. Marta Suplicy,
the Mayor of the City of Sao Paolo (Brazil).

Mr Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secreatary General UCLGA, 
is not a new face to continental and international local government. He is a  very seasoned and well-known
local government expert who comes from Cameroon. Mr Elong Mbassi is an urban planner by training, he brings a wealth
of experience to the UCLGA, having, for over 20 years, been Secretary-General of the Municipal Development Partnership,
a Cotonou, Benin-based, World Bank-founded technical and institutional support agency for local governments in Africa.
He was also Secretary-General of the World Association of Cities and Local Authorities Coordination (WACLAC) in Geneva.

Mr Elong Mbassi has the experience, networks and drive which UCLGA needs to ensure that its footprints are etched
in the continent and beyond.