Kenyatta Expresses Joy Over Kenya’s Hosting Of Africities Summit

Posted by Eric Ojo African News, East/Central Africa, Latest Headlines Thursday, April 21st, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta has expressed his excitement over the forthcoming 9th edition of the Africities Summit holding from May 17 to 21 in Kisumu, Kenya.

Organized every 3 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.

The theme chosen for this year’s summit is: “The role of intermediary cities in Africa in the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and of the African Union´s Agenda 2063”.

This flagship event of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) organized in partnership with the Government of Kenya, the Council of Governors of Kenya (CoG), and the County of Kisumu will for the very first time be held in an intermediary city.

Meanwhile, the programme of sessions is complete and the 170 sessions were recorded for this edition placed under the High Patronage of the Kenyan President as the chief host.

“I am delighted to officially announce that the city of Kisumu will host the largest Africities summit ever held in Kenya”, he said.

The Summit has so far recorded more than 3,000 participants already registered to take part in the 5 days of reflection around the theme of the summit, organized within the framework of thematic sessions, sessions on local policies and strategies, and the political segment of the Summit.

Distinguished personalities are expected to attend the gathering in Kisumu and take an active part in the main dialogue platform on decentralization and local governance, which brings together African ministers; as well as mayors, leaders and elected representatives of local authorities; civil society organizations; traditional authorities; representatives of the African Diaspora; actors from the world of economics; experts, researchers and academics; financial institutions, as well as development partners.

Notably, the President of the Republic of Senegal, Mr. Macky Sall, has accepted the invitation of the organizing committee to participate in the summit in his capacity as current President of the African Union (AU).

Invitations have also been extended to be former President of Niger, Mr. Mohamadou Issoufou, , former United States Secretary of State, President’s Special Envoy for Climate, John F. Kerry, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ms. Amina J. Mohamed, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Mousa Faki Mahamat, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Ms. Maimuna Mohd Sharif,

Others are the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Ms. Vera Songwe, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Chairman of Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President of the Cameroon Football Federation, Mr. Samuel Eto’o and former Ivorian international footballer, Mr. Didier Drogba.

The 9th edition of the event also consists of specific days organized on the major topics that mobilize the attention of mayors and leaders of local governments on the continent, namely Climate Day; Diaspora and Afro- descendants Day; Digital Day; Culture Day; Urban Planning Day; Housing Day; Women’s Day; Youth Day; as well as the Africities Trade and Investment Forum.

As part of the Summit, the International Exhibition of Cities and Local Governments will also be held. The Africities Exhibition offers institutions, economic operators, academia and research, as well as civil society organizations the opportunity to exhibit their experiences, know-how, methods, tools and products in response to requests and needs in terms of support to local authorities for the implementation of their mandates.

The Africities Exhibition also makes it possible to organize B2B meetings with local authorities, which could possibly lead to the signing of contracts between protagonists. The Summit will also serve as a framework for the elective General Assembly aimed at designating the members of the organization’s governing bodies.

The elective General Assembly of UCLG Africa will be held on May 19, 2022, preceded on May 18 by the general assemblies of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA) and of the Network of Young Local Elected Officials of Africa (YELO).

As icing on the cake, it is planned to organize a conversation between the former heads of State, honorary members of UCLG Africa and the young elected representatives of local governments of Africa, concerning their involvement in the African renaissance, given the lessons to draw from the experience of former African leaders.