2026 | Namur launches the AIMF “Social Precarity” Commission with Porto-Novo

On the occasion of the 107th Bureau meeting of the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), hosted in Namur on 8 and 9 June 2026, the City of Namur, together with the City of Porto-Novo (Benin), co-chaired the first meeting of the AIMF’s new “Social Precarity” Commission. The Commission is co-chaired by Dorothée Klein, President of Namur’s Public Centre for Social Welfare (CPAS) and member of the Municipal Executive, and Rachadou Toukourou, Mayor of the City of Porto-Novo.

The Commission brings together around ten cities and associations of local authorities from across the French-speaking world with a common objective: to encourage the sharing of experiences and good practices in response to the growing challenges of social precarity.

Representatives from the Urban Municipality of Pita and the cities of Porto-Novo, Bafoussam, Douala, Foumban, Mutsamudu, Itsandra Mdjini, Nyuma Mdro, Nyumakomo, Pikine, Terrebonne, Hué, Nice and Marseille took part in this first meeting.

A common roadmap

This inaugural meeting marked an important step in collectively defining the directions and priorities that will guide the Commission’s work in the coming months.

Discussions focused on the many forms that social precarity takes today across different territories: homelessness, inadequate housing, isolation and food insecurity, as well as mental health issues, addictions and support for the most vulnerable members of society.

Participants highlighted the value of cooperation between local authorities facing sometimes different realities, but often sharing common challenges.

Alongside this first meeting, the delegations also had the opportunity to discover several organisations in Namur working to address social precarity. They were welcomed at the headquarters of the Belgian Red Cross in Namur, where they met with representatives to discuss their work in support of vulnerable people. The day continued with a meeting with the Relais social urbain namurois (Namur Urban Social Support Network), providing an opportunity to present the local support mechanisms available to people experiencing severe social precarity, as well as the partnerships developed between the various stakeholders in the social sector.

Sharing experience at the heart of cooperation

This first meeting gave the City of Namur and its Public Centre for Social Welfare (CPAS) an opportunity to present their experience in the field of social action, while also learning about the initiatives developed by the other participating local authorities from Europe, Africa and North America.

The discussions particularly highlighted the value of dialogue between cities in identifying innovative solutions, adapting existing measures to local realities and strengthening public policies in support of the most vulnerable.

By launching this new Commission alongside Porto-Novo, the City of Namur reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation based on the sharing of expertise, solidarity between local authorities and the search for concrete responses to today’s major social challenges.