CIFAL Global Network

The CIFAL Global Network’s mission is to strengthen the capacities of government officials and civil society leaders, thus empowering them to advance sustainable development.

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Scammers may misuse the names and logos of the United Nations, UNITAR, or the CIFAL Global Network to commit fraud. UNITAR does not charge for international events, collaborate with other UN funds, or request payments for grants. Verify any event's legitimacy before sharing personal information. Report suspicious activity or fraudulent requests to cifalnetwork@unitar.org. Authorities have been informed.

Announcement: Please be informed that CIFAL Argentina has officially ceased operations as of 30 September 2023, and CIFAL Hubei as of 14 June 2024. Any activities, events, or operations conducted after these dates are not authorized or endorsed by UNITAR.

"[The CIFAL Network] meets a crucial need to reinforce capacities and exchange good practices among local authorities, the private sector and the United Nations”. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Remarks to the UNITAR/CIFAL Network Steering Committee, Atlanta, USA, 8 May 2008

CIFAL stands for "Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders" (in French), and "Centro Internacional de Formación para Autoridades y Líderes" (in Spanish).

The CIFAL Global Network is composed of 34 International Training Centres for Authorities and Leaders, all coordinated by UNITAR’s Social Development Programme. The strategic locations of the 34 centres, which can be found across Asia, Oceania, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and the Caribbean ensure a global outreach. Each CIFAL centre provides innovative training and serves as a hub for the exchange of knowledge amongst government officials, the private sector, and civil society.

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The central purpose of the CIFAL training programs is to develop and strengthen human capacities to better respond to development challenges and to facilitate City-to-City (C2C) partnerships. The CIFAL alliance provides a platform for dialogue and knowledge transfer on key development-related issues. Through knowledge management methodologies, CIFALs provide networking opportunities that lead to collaboration, facilitation of peer-to-peer learning, and exchange of best practices.

CIFAL Centres

For more information about each of the CIFAL centres visit the dedicated pages for the affiliated individual centres. There may be one near you!

CGN Training Catalogue 2024-.pdf2.49 MB

Thematic Areas

The CIFAL Global Network recognizes that there is a crucial need for capacity development in order to address the challenges communities worldwide are currently facing.

The training sessions and activities of the CIFAL centres focus on four major thematic areas:

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The CIFAL Approach

The central purpose of the CIFAL training programs is to develop and strengthen human capacities to better respond to development challenges and to facilitate City-to-City (C2C) partnerships. The CIFAL alliance provides a platform for dialogue and knowledge transfer on key development-related issues. Through knowledge management methodologies, CIFALs provide networking opportunities that lead to collaboration, facilitation of peer-to-peer learning and exchange of best practices.

The CIFAL network was launched in 2003 and since its inception has had a significant impact on reaching beneficiaries worldwide. In 2023 alone, the network reached 97,407 beneficiaries through 422 events.

Target Audience

Primary beneficiaries are government officials from developing countries that are committed to taking a strategic approach to development. Beneficiaries include: