Kisumu city will host the 9th edition of the Africities Summit from May 17th to 21, 2022 under the patronage of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Organized every three years over a 5- day period, alternately in the different regions of Africa, the Africities summit is the largest democratic gathering organized on the African continent with the theme of this year, ‘The role of intermediary cities in Africa in the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the African Union Agenda 2063’
Speaking Tuesday while closing a 2-day Eastern Africa Regional Caucus of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG-A) meeting on the preparation of Africities summit, Devolution Principal Secretary, Julius Korir said the government in collaboration with international supporters is ready for the Summit.
“The 2030 and 2063 Agendas call for the urgent need to develop resilient and sustainable urbanization in Africa, cognizant of the fact that by 2050 the bulk of African population will be living in cities, and that the majority of city dwellers will settle in intermediary cities,” said the PS.
The PS noted that more than 5,000 participants are expected to discuss the 2030 and 2063 Agendas which call for urgent reflection on resilient and sustainable urbanization in Africa, given that by 2050 most of the African population will live in cities, and most city dwellers will settle in intermediary cities.
“Kisumu is therefore the place chosen by the community of local authorities in Africa to initiate the health reflection which will be addressed during the thematic sessions, sessions on local policies and strategies, and open sessions organised during the first three days of the summit,” said Korir.
This reflection, PS said, will also be at heart of the debates and proposals for specific days organized on the major subjects that mobilize the attention of mayors and leaders of local authorities on the continent.
He said the challenge is to learn the lessons from the serious health crisis that the world has just experienced, the limits of the planetary ecosystem, the warnings of the International Group of Experts on Climate (IPCC) on the impact of climate change, in order to reflect the definition of a new development trajectory for Africa.
In his remarks UCLG Secretary General Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, said there is no other option but to take opportunity and address climate change during the Africities Summit.
Mbassi added that there is a need to pull resources together efficiently and cost effectively to see that in 30 years to come Africa is in a better place.
“We have already addressed the women leadership challenge we had, and now we look forward in 10 years to come to get young people in leadership positions as well,” said Mbassi.
Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o during the media briefing said the improvement of the living conditions of the African people and the economic and social structural transformation of the African continent is therefore closely linked to the way the realization of these agendas will be addressed in African intermediary cities.
He said due to global warming proper environmental programmes are put in place to control the water sources.
“As much as possible the development models to be implemented in Africa should be more energy efficient, low carbon, more inclusive and more resilient,” said Nyong’o.
This is the first time that an intermediary city has been chosen to host the Africities Summit, with the previous edition held in Marrakech (Morocco) in November 2018 and was attended by a record 8,300 participants from 79 countries, including 52 African countries.
By Catherine Muindi
