Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) has been elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the World Association of the Major Metropolises (metropolis).

Secretary General Jordi Vaquer sent a letter to Shah and reported that he was elected for the tenure starting from January 2024 till the year 2026. The Association has around 141 members and works to build good metropolitan governance as well as provides tools and insights for better decision-making.

The multidimensional programs run by the Association include the Metropolis Observatory, Urban Sustainability Exchange program, Cities for Global Health platform, Gender Mainstreaming Strategy, Emergency Governance Initiative, and more.

According to their Strategic Action Plan 2021 – 2023, “Services that we deliver make an impact on the lives of more than 608 million people living in the territories where our members operate.”

The organization has sought a short meeting with KMC’s team to brief them about what KMC’s priorities would be to achieve the Metropolis’ strategic direction.

The association, among other agendas, aims to maintain public legitimacy, foster sustainable urban growth, and create resilience against social, economic, or climate emergencies, among other challenges which require responsible handling coupled with great leadership.