The UrbanShift Africa Forum promises to bring together stakeholders from African countries, to discuss planning, sustainable investment, and climate action.
Participants will come from Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania.
The UrbanShift Africa Forum will allow national and local governments officials, investors and civil society organizations to exchange best practices, foster partnerships, and advance climate ambition.
A delegation of youth climate leaders is also expected to join discussions to ensure the voices and expertise of young Africans remain at the center of future climate action.
With Africa projected to drive the majority of global urban growth in the coming decades, the forum’s sessions are set to focus on resilience, urban planning, and securing the financing required to build thriving, resilient cities for future generations.
The UrbanShift Africa Forum will also see the release of a new Roadmap on Sustainable Finance Action and Advocacy for Global South cities, which outlines the practical steps that mayors and their teams can take to start acting and advocating for climate action.
This new resource from C40, UrbanShift and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) will help mayors access affordable financing for important projects like clean energy and public transport.
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown and Co-chair of C40 Cities said: “African cities are already at the vanguard of climate action and innovation. Our youth populations are already championing climate action and investing in their own futures.With approximately 70% of Africa’s population under the age of 35, young people are leveraging technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship to drive the shift toward sustainability. It is time for the international finance community to invest in their energy and ideas. “We know the next generation is ready to lead the charge for a greener, fairer future, it is now the duty of city leaders to access the resources they need to create a greener, fairer future for all of us.”