The Nairobi Forum, an initiative of the Kenya Private Sector (KEPSA) Foundation, has launched the inaugural Nairobi Forum Annual Summit to be held on 29th -30th October 2020. This will coincide with the World Cities Day which will be on 31st October 2020.
A press statement to newsrooms on Thursday indicates that the two-day virtual event will bring together key stakeholders and provide a platform to discuss the transformation of Nairobi to a better place to live in, work and invest. During the event, The Nairobi Forum will be officially launched as an institution.
Speaking during the announcement of the event, The Nairobi Forum Chairperson, Emma Miloyo said that the summit will provide stakeholders a chance to deliberate on diverse issues affecting the city and its inhabitants.
“Through The Nairobi Forum, our aim is to create a platform that will bring together everyone with interests to propel Nairobi to a regional and international hub. Our focus is to have a platform where we can have open deliberations on issues affecting the residents such as health, education, urban planning, security, economy among others, and also seek ways to address the same,” said Miloyo.
She added: “Through this platform, we shall also seek to create collaborations between the private and public sector with an aim of addressing these challenges. We want to make Nairobi the go-to city for investors and also improve the quality of life for the people. I urge the people of this city to join us as we seek to transform this city for the betterment of all of us.”
The summit will seek to interrogate the existing initiatives currently in place addressing several thematic areas which include; economy, education, health, environment, urban development, leadership and culture change, tourism, water and sanitation, sports, creative and culture, mobility and access as well as security. It will also explore more initiatives to address these thematic areas in a bid to deliver on the city’s inclusive transformation agenda.
Mr. Patrick Obath, KEPSA Foundation Trustee, noted that the forum will be crucial in generating ideas that would make Nairobi attractive to investors and in the process improve the city’s economy.
“Investors are attracted to cities that focus on delivery of crucial services such as a good transport network, health and education facilities. They also want a city with a good environment and ample security- a City that is safe for all. I believe therefore that with the Nairobi Forum, we have a platform where we can engage each other to come up with solutions to challenges as well as ideas on how to improve further as a city,” he said.
The World Cities Day was set aside by the United Nations General Assembly to drive global interest in urbanization and encourage international cooperation to address the challenges of urbanization around the world. The day is also used to raise awareness on sustainable urban development as a means of improving the quality of life for people living in urban areas.
The general theme of the World Cities Day is ‘Better City, Better Life’, while this year’s theme is ‘Valuing our Communities and Cities.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
