Africities Holds 7th Summit in Johannesburg

The seventh edition of the Local Governments Pan-African Days, Africities Summit, will hold at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 29 to December 3, 2015 with the central theme, “Shaping The Future of Africa With the People: The Contribution Of African Local Authorities To Agenda 2063 Of the African Union.”

The Africities trade show will provide a platform for meetings, exchanges and partnership while it brings together more than 150 exhibitors from different sectors, with 5000 to 6000 delegates and decision makers who will take part in the Summit: ministers, mayors, presidents and heads of local governments, leaders of central governments, representatives of regional and international institutions and about 10000 additional visitors are expected: industrial and economic operators, financial institutions, prescribers, federations and professional associations.

Organised regularly every three years by United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), the event has become a distinguished opportunity for the evaluation of the implementation of decentralization policies in Africa.

The Africities Exhibition, set to take place simultaneously with the Africities Summit, offers International organisations and companies a unique opportunity to interact with African local governments’ leaders on a continental scale.

Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos, the Secretary General of UCLG Africa and President of the Exhibition Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi said, “Taking its cue from Agenda 2063, The Africities Summit 7 theme is designed to connect a rigorous understanding of likely future trends with a strategic debate about what needs to be done at the local level, with immediate effect to address the emergency of service delivery, shelter, economic opportunities, safe and affordable mobility and more.”

He said, “It is an exciting time for Africa, filled with possibility and a renewed sense of self-confidence. This is powerfully captured in the Agenda 2063 – ‘Towards an Africa we want’, which incites everyone to play an active role to see Africa become a prosperous continent by 2063, with the means to drive its own development, and where: African people have a high standard of living, quality of life, sound health and well-being; a continent full of well-educated citizens through skills revolution underpinned by science, technology and innovation for a knowledge society. Cities and other settlements are hubs of cultural and economic activities, with modernised infrastructure, and people have access to all the basic necessities of life including shelter, water, sanitation, energy, public transport and ICT. Economies are structurally transformed to create shared growth, decent jobs and economic opportunities for all.”

The Summit will create a platform for tackling issues affecting urban and economic development across the continent with a sharp focus on collaborative partnerships, best practices, innovative and strategic thinking and solutions to the challenges of development and urbanisation.

United Cities of Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) is the representative head of local governments across the continent. Inspired by a passion to see the principles of Pan-Africanism fully realised, “to promote unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation amongst African people and African States,” UCLGA was awarded status by the African Union in 2005, as the representative body for all African local governments. With a vision of, “building the unity of Africa from, and promoting its development through, the grassroots,” UCLGA’s dedication throughout its history has been driven by its commitment to the empowerment of local people in local communities and their participation in the development of Africa and its governance.