Nairobi, Kenya, 17 May 2022 – The city of Kisumu in Kenya will host the 9th edition of the Africities Summit from 17-21 May 2022, under the patronage of President of the Republic of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta. The theme of the summit is “The role of intermediary cities in Africa in the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the African Union Agenda 2063”.
Organized every three years, alternately in the different regions of Africa, the Africities
Summit is the largest gathering organized on the African continent. This flagship event of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) is held in partnership with the Government of Kenya, the Council of Governors of Kenya, and the County of Kisumu. For the first time, this event will be held in an intermediary city.
UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme responsible for sustainable urban development of cities and human settlements, is one of the institutional partners supporting the 9th Africities Summit.
The summit intendeds to bring together leadership of cities and government to advance decentralisation and local governance. It also aims to address major questions based on the construction of the 2063 Vision of Africa with debate proposed by the African Union Commission.
Executive Director of UN-Habitat Maimunah Mohd Sharif will deliver a keynote speech at the opening of the 9th Africities Summit in Kisumu. She will talk about the importance of implementing the New Urban Agenda in Africa and the need for specific actions as discussed at the High-Level Meeting on the New Urban Agenda at the UN General Assembly on 28 April 2022. Adoption of affordable housing programmes and urban recovery frameworks for post disaster and conflict environments can accelerate development and help governments achieve global targets set by the 2030 Agenda.
In Kisumu, UN-Habitat is organizing an exhibition stand to showcase its impact in Africa as to invite participants to continue discussions at the upcoming Eleventh Session of the World Urban Forum from 26 to 30 June 2022 in Katowice, Poland.