Mayor Ricardo Rio: The Driving Force Behind Braga’s Rise as a Model European City
Ricardo Bruno Antunes Machado Rio, is an accomplished economist and the current mayor of Braga, Portugal. His professional background includes roles as the General Secretary of the Portuguese Association of Financial Analysts and Director of the Capital Markets Institute of Euronext Lisbon, as well as serving as a university professor at several institutions. He transitioned into public service in 2001 and became the mayor of Braga in 2013, where he has been instrumental in transforming Braga into a smart city, and is now serving his third term.
Beginning in August 2023, Rio assumed the role of Chair of the Executive Committee of the Global Parliament of Mayors, an organization he joined in 2018 and has been a part of the Daily Board since 2019.
We at Mayors of Europe spoke to him about his decade-long leadership in Braga, the city’s transformation into a smart city, the importance of sustainable tourism, the role of technology in city governance, his new position as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Global Parliament of Mayors, and his insights on the responsibilities and collaborative potential of mayors across Europe.
Mr Mayor Rio, you have been sucessfully leading the city of Braga for 10 years now. Today Braga stands as a model european city and you are a true role model of a leader for the sustainable cities of our future. Considering all the global issues leaders of the cities are facing, what skills do you believe local government decision makers of the future should have? Would you say your professional background was a plus for the role you are sucesfully modeling now?
Today the world faces challenges that we know can only be solved with the active involvement of cities. And this is an indisputable truth. According to UN data, 55% of the world’s population lives in cities, and this number is expected to increase to 70% by 2050.
If you look at OECD figures, for instance, above 60% of the Sustainable Development Goals can only be achieved with the direct engagement of cities.
Given the immensity of these numbers, it is impossible to dissociate the impact of the decisions of local and regional authorities on the most diverse areas of society, and it is essential that its importance becomes more and more recognized by national and international authorities.
Local and regional authorities must be on the front line when it comes to solving the problems we face as a society, not least because it is cities that are primarily responsible for meeting the most pressing needs of citizens, such as housing, education, health, environment, or employment.
The relationship between local government and the population and the capacity for dialogue with local agents must be appreciated and duly valued, and that proximity with citizens and the capacity to collaborate with all the local stakeholders are two major requisites to any leader of the future (and the present).
So, above all, in an increasingly global world, I consider that local government decision-makers must be fully aware of the responsibility they have in hand and the weight their decisions will have on our collective future. They must be willing to accept the enormous responsibility that these positions entail and to adopt people-centered, sustainable, and inclusive policies that are in line with modern challenges.
Taking my example, what made me enter politics in the first place was the pure desire to help the development of the city of Braga, where I was born and raised. And, to me, that should be the first ambition of all those who want to be political decision-makers: to make the lives of citizens and the territories they manage better. Transparency, commitment, accountability and openness to society are the transversal vectors that should guide our actions.
My professional background as a business manager was very important since the economic dimension was my top priority when I was elected. The investment in the region’s economic dynamism, in attracting investment, and in the creation of jobs was assumed, from the beginning, as one of our main priorities. This action in the economic field was accompanied by developments in the areas of culture, sports, protection of heritage or the environment, social responses, or youth policies, guiding Braga to a reference international level in each of these areas.
But regardless of the background of the decision-makers, what is important is to think strategically and develop long-term plans that can respond to emerging challenges and uncertainties. It is also very important to work collaboratively with other countries or cities, and diverse groups, such as community organizations, other government agencies, and private sector entities.
This August you will becom the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Global Parliament of Mayors (GPM), taking over this position from Mayor Peter Kurz whose term as mayor of Mannheim (Germany) will end. What ambitions would you be working on with your colleagues?
I perceive this challenge as an excellent opportunity to bring together mayors and city leaders from around the world to collaborate, exchange knowledge, and advocate for urban governance at a time when this must happen. In many different areas there is an awareness that we are in an era of rapid change and from the global challenges we face a more resilient and supportive society must emerge.
I believe that we live in the time of the Cities, where the innovative and transforming potential of the territories has to be reinforced and replicated on a national and international scale.
Above all, I want to make sure that everyone understands the crucial role of mayors in decision-making processes. Together it is possible to amplify our voices and ensure that our perspectives are taken into account in policy discussions. And this can only be done if we have the resources to match our ambition and ability to be change agents.
The more capacities and resources these local structures have, the greater the link with citizens and civil society and the ability to realize the ambitions of the population.
For this reason, surely that one of my priorities, along with my colleagues, will be to emphasize the need for adequate resources to address the complex challenges faced by cities. In areas such as the fight against climate change, health, safety, infrastructure, welcoming migrants, digital transition, attracting talent, fostering the social economy, culture, or education, we can only truly make a difference if international and national authorities allocate the necessary means to realize the plans developed by mayors.
The GPM is a platform that gathers mayors around global principles like, for instance, the strengthening and safeguard of democracy. We want to be acknowledged as the place where global meet, exchange experiences and leverage their voice on global issues.
During my term, I´ll certainly try to engage in diplomatic efforts to advocate for resources for cities and urban areas, providing evidence-based arguments for this increased support. By engaging with heads of state, government officials, and representatives of international and national organizations, I hope to demonstrate all the potential for change that cities contain and that must be embraced if we hope to achieve real change.
And, obviously, the GPM will play a better role if it gathers more and more Mayors from all the globe, leading us to work in the expansion of the membership.
Recently, at a YEPP Conference held in Braga you welcomed Ms Lidia Pereira who is YEPP President and Madam Metsola, EU Parliament President. How do you focus on progress of future generations in your scope of projects? Do you agree that we need to attract younger generation to take part in local governence? Have you developed some initiatives to mentor younger generations of politicians to become leaders – ready for future?
There is a governmental principle that I cherish a lot – the intergenerational solidarity -, that shall condition all the actions we take in the present that may impact the life of the future generations.
Adopting concrete and integrated youth policies based on good practices is essential for building the cities of the future. We can only attract young people if we truly involve them in the decision-making processes, ensuring that public policies are youth-friendly and that they allow their ambitions to be fulfilled, whether it is access to employment, support for entrepreneurial projects, access to training and education, the manifestation of talent in the cultural and sports context or fostering citizenship.
I can say that this is one of the areas in which Braga has clearly distinguished itself. We have constantly tried to enhance the answers for young people in the most diverse domains, also replicating the good practices at an international level. It is not by chance that Braga was Ibero-American Youth Capital, was on the frontline in the creation of the European Youth Capitals Network, in the introduction of the Participatory Budget ‘You Decide!, in reactivating the Municipal Youth Council, in holding the Young Creators and Young Talents Contests, or in implementing the pioneering 100% Youth City project.
In my first application to become a Mayor (back in 2005), I signed a “Political Contract with Braga Youth”, which was almost a separate government program only addressed to youngsters. If I know look back to the various proposals included in that contract, they were almost fully accomplished since my first mandate (2013-2017).
All these initiatives aim to involve young people and prepare them to be the leaders of the future. On a personal level, I try to be present as often as possible at these initiatives to attract the interest of young people and understand their ambitions and fears.
We will only succeed in the long term if the younger generation can understand the challenges we face and take responsibility for responding to them fully. Societies with young people alienated from political decisions run several risks that can be fatal to their development, such as lack of representation, apathy, lost potential, or social discontent and unrest.
You have established Braga Economy Week aiming to foster investments and economic growth of Braga. What are good outcomes in economic terms you have achieved thanks to this innitiative?
As I’ve already mentioned, economic development was the main priority when I took over as Mayor of Braga in 2013. We gathered all the city’s development agents and created a new strategic development model in partnership with Universities, INL – the International Laboratory of Nanotechnology, Business Associations, and several other local, regional, and national actors. We diagnosed competitiveness factors, outlined strategies for the future, and shared responsibilities in activities and implementation.
The creation of InvestBraga – the first economic development agency at the local level in Portugal – and StartupBraga (our tech innovation hub) were crucial steps. The results are extremely positive. Today Braga is an economic reference in the country and internationally, assuming itself as one of the great engines of the national economy, which is reflected in all sectors of activity.
We are currently the country’s fourth exporter (with over 2.000 million Euros of exports) and we were considered the city of the future by FDI Magazine of the Financial Times, for cities of our dimension (below 200.000 inhabitants).
We are a differentiated center in the fixation and projection of talent, whose transformation of the economic tissue made us move quickly from the ‘made in Braga’ concept to ‘researched and developed in Braga’ and now to ‘designed/invented in Braga.
We are creating an average of more than 2000 jobs a year, and the large multinational and technological companies located here have created high-value and thousands of skilled jobs.
Braga’s Economy Week, now in its sixth edition, is an initiative that was born to address these economic issues and promote the debate of ideas among economic agents, institutions, and
citizens. It is an opportunity to review the results achieved and to set new challenges for the future.
Despite the very positive results, our future growth potential is still significant. We want to attract more companies and support more entrepreneurs, especially in the areas of Information Technology, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, and Health Sciences. We will strengthen our attractiveness in science and business tourism while continuing to increase the quality of life of our citizens.
Tourism is important for Portugal’s GDP, acounting for about 17% of it, and it seems like it is returning to its pre-pandemic values. Braga is among the great nominees for flattering Europe’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination 2023. How do you develop sustainable tourism in Braga?
Braga is in a phase of sharp growth in tourist activity and forecasts for 2023 and 2024 are quite optimistic. In 2019, the City recorded growth above the national average, having reached a record number of overnight stays in that year. During Covid, we had an extremely complicated period for tourism, but Braga’s attractiveness made a quick recovery possible as soon as we returned to normality.
Braga is at the forefront of adopting policies that favor the sustainable development of the territory and tourism is an area that is no exception to this rule. The City is part of the “Tourism Friendly Cities” network, which aims to explore how tourism can be sustainable in medium-sized cities, reducing its negative impact on urban areas. To achieve this ambitious goal, the project creates integrated and inclusive strategies that maintain a balance between the needs of local communities, in terms of quality of life and available services, and the promotion of sustainable urban development at an environmental, social, and economic level.
We are well aware that tourism is an essential activity for sectors such as restaurants, hotels, and commerce and the valorization and preservation of heritage. The residents have faced the growth of Braga as a tourist destination in a very positive way, taking advantage of the opportunities that it allows for the development of the city.
We possess endogenous resources that make a difference at a patrimonial, natural, and even immaterial level as a result of the various events that mark the life of the city throughout the year. In the last decades, and particularly over the last few years, we have achieved a national and international projection, a qualification of the offer, and a diversification of the attractions that bring more and more visitors to the city, positioning it as one of the preferred destinations on all of these scales.
As I always say, Braga is not a theme park. Braga is an authentic city in which tourists have the opportunity to enjoy the variety of resources and the quality of life that benefit the residents in the first place.
For all these reasons Braga was nominated Best European Destination in 2021 and is now among the nominees for Europe´s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination this year.
What are some key challenges and opportunities you see in the intersection of technology, sustainability, and city governance?
Technological advances allow cities to anticipate the future through projects developed in the present. Now we have to make sure we put the Cities at the service of the people, developing projects and solutions, in an integrated way, that corresponds to the desires of the population.
The optimization of new projects and solutions makes them inducers of better management of the resources of each territory and increases the efficiency in the use of those same resources.
In Braga, from the beginning we set the goal to create a smart city, leveraging technology and data to enhance the quality of life for our citizens. In all areas of municipal governance, data-driven insights are now very important for us to make informed decisions and implement efficient systems.
Creating a smart city implies a creating collaborative vision, through the articulation between all agents of the territory so that all work in the same direction. For that reason, Startup Braga, our innovation hub, promotes companies that are dedicated to producing technologies related to cities (like the sustainability vertical that was launched in last November).
Technological qualification of human resources is another unavoidable issue when talking about smart cities. From the environmental area to mobility, energy efficiency to economic sustainability, health, and the way of governing and interacting with citizens, all cities have much to gain by putting technological innovation at the service of all municipal management.
With the emergence of Artificial intelligence, other types of opportunities can be created. AI will play a crucial role in the development and management of smart cities. It will enable cities to analyze vast amounts of data, automate processes, and make intelligent decisions to improve various aspects of urban life.
Once again, beyond political will, cities must have at their disposal the resources to invest in the skills and technology needed to create disruptive and innovative projects that can be replicated and scaled.
Considering your several leadership positions among your mayor colleagues, what would be your message to Mayors across Europe?
Just like in my first day of mandate, 10 years ago, I still learn a lot from my fellow colleagues, every single day. And we all learn a lot from each other, no matter the size or location or context of the cities we manage.
My message to mayors is to believe in the power of cities to change the world. It is up to us to really trust this and to be the first ones to amplify this message. We hold a great amount of responsibility in shaping the future of our cities and improving the lives of our citizens, and we have to be aware of that.
The world face numerous challenges, and we hold the most powerful key to solve them. So let´s embrace our role as leaders and visionaries. The Global Parliament of Mayors is a privileged platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and solidarity. Just like the Eurocities plays a crucial role in linking the European cities to the political responsibles of the European Union. And like many thematic networks stimulate the development of joint projects that can upgrade the service we make available to our citizens in different areas.
It is critical to have an international view, to participate and engage.
Together, we can amplify our voices, advocate for our cities’ needs on the global stage, and inspire change beyond our borders.
