France and Italy join 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue in Ningbo

Officials from France and Italy are among delegates from 15 countries meeting in Ningbo, China, from Nov. 2 to 5 for the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue. The gathering produced 14 cooperation projects and a new consensus calling for deeper city ties, industrial collaboration and stable supply chains.

Why it matters: - The dialogue is designed to turn city-to-city contact into practical deals on trade, technology, education and culture. - The event also shows how Ningbo is positioning itself as a global hub for openness, manufacturing and international exchange. - The agreements and consensus could shape future municipal partnerships across Europe, Africa, Oceania and China.

What happened: - Officials from 15 countries gathered in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, from Nov. 2 to 5, 2026, for the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue · Ningbo. - Joachim Moyse, mayor of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray and vice president of Métropole Rouen Normandie, attended alongside Enrico Ricci, representative of the mayor of Florence and president of the Economic Development Commission of the city council. - Wayne Brown, mayor of Auckland, New Zealand, joined the meeting. - Ahmed Wazeery, secretary-general of Suez Governorate, Egypt, and Hosam Alkaweesh, assistant minister of local development and environment of Egypt, were among the participants. - Said Karimi, mayor of Errachidia, Morocco, Aleksandar Kitanski, mayor of Pehčevo, North Macedonia, and Sebastian Kovacs, a representative of the Wiener Neustadt city government in Austria, also attended. - Representatives of international organizations and companies took part in discussions on openness and practical cooperation.

The details: - The program centered on the theme "Openness and Connectivity for Shared Opportunities." - It included one main mayoral dialogue, two scenario dialogues and three cultural exchange activities. - Delegates visited Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, which is described as the world's largest port by cargo throughput. - The itinerary also included Ningbo Yaji Logistics Co., Ltd., Ningbo PIA Automation Holding Corp., Peacebird Group, Dongqian Lake and the Old Bund. - At Ningbo PIA Automation, visitors saw workshops where embodied robots are produced. - At the main session, officials signed 14 cooperation projects covering friendly exchanges, economic and trade cooperation, science and technology, education, and cultural tourism. - Yuyao in Zhejiang and Errachidia in Morocco established friendly exchange relations. - Yinzhou District of Ningbo and Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray in France also established friendly exchange relations. - The Ningbo Consensus on Cooperative Development was released. - The consensus calls on cities to remain open and connected, deepen industrial collaboration, strengthen people-to-people ties, and work together to keep industrial and supply chains stable and flowing. - The event also featured a seven-section exhibition, "Ningbo and the World," on local companies taking Ningbo's culture overseas. - At the Night of Ningbo, classic books selected by Ningbo and visiting cities were added to the collection of Tianyi Pavilion, built in 1561 and described as the oldest private library still standing in China.

Between the lines: - Ningbo is using the forum to link its port economy and advanced manufacturing base with international city partnerships. - The visit to the port and factory floors suggests the city wants delegates to see openness as an economic strategy, not just a diplomatic one. - Moyse framed the talks as a practical step toward peace, saying cooperation depends on creating a framework where representatives sit down together. - His comments also pointed to an interest in bringing Ningbo's people-centered urban approach back to France.

What's next: - The signed projects and friendly exchange agreements now move from ceremony to implementation. - Ningbo and the visiting cities are likely to use the new consensus as a basis for follow-up cooperation on trade, industry and cultural exchange. - The city will also continue using exhibitions and cultural programming to extend the dialogue beyond the conference room.

The bottom line: - Ningbo used the 2026 mayors dialogue to convert international attendance into concrete partnerships, with a strong emphasis on open cities, shared growth and supply-chain resilience.