NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 – More than 250 African city leaders met in Nairobi last week for the Green & Resilient UrbanShift Africa Forum, aimed at boosting climate resilience and sustainable urban investment.
The UrbanShift Africa Forum, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and hosted by C40 Cities, brings together mayors, city officials, policymakers, investors, and business leaders from countries including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Rwanda.
Climate Finance Reforms
During the forum’s opening ceremony at the UNEP headquarters, city leaders will issue an open letter urging national governments to prioritize investments in the green economy and create green jobs.
Others are strengthening municipal finance, as well as removing barriers to public-private partnerships for climate action.
The letter seeks to unlock financing for sustainable urban development, amid projections that African cities will drive the majority of global urban growth in the coming decades.
Sustainable Finance
The forum will also unveil a Roadmap on Sustainable Finance Action and Advocacy for Global South Cities, which provides steps for cities to access affordable climate finance for projects like clean energy and public transport.
The roadmap, developed by C40 Cities, UrbanShift, and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), highlights the need for financial independence for cities, national platforms to coordinate efforts, and grouping urban projects to attract larger investments.
Push for Climate Investments
Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson emphasized the economic benefits of investing in climate solutions, stating that every $1 invested in green infrastructure returns $4.
C40 Cities Executive Director Mark Watts called on governments and investors to step up, saying African mayors are leading on climate action but lack the financial power to match their ambition.
Other speakers, including Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr (Mayor of Freetown), Andy Deacon (GCoM), Mohamed Bakarr (GEF), and Prof. Kevin Chika Urama (AfDB), stressed the need for financial reforms to support African cities in implementing bankable, climate-resilient projects.
The UrbanShift Africa Forum continues through the week with discussions on urban planning, resilience, and green financing to shape the future of sustainable African cities.
