Africa cannot continue being a spectator in the world developmental agenda. The view has been expressed widely at the U20 Summit and African Mayors Assembly underway in Pretoria.
The event, co-hosted by the cities of Joburg and Tshwane is part of a series of events ahead of the G20 summit to be held in Johannesburg in November and is attended by just under a hundred mayors with 30 of them from major cities across the continent while the rest are from G20 member countries.
Host mayor Nasiphi Moya officially opened the event on thursday and called for African cities to lead Africa’s developmental agenda.
“This partnership between two of Africa’s largest metros is not just symbolic. It shows what can be achieved when cities collaborate to advance shared goals. It signals that Africa is no longer waiting for a place in the global conversation. We are claiming our seat with clarity, purpose, and urgency,” she said of the co-hosting arrangement with the City of Joburg.
Moya said African cities have common challenges and should work together to address them in order to place the continent on growth trajectory.
“Tshwane, like many African cities, is growing rapidly. We are urbanising at speed, but often without the infrastructure or resources to match. Our challenges are not unique. They reflect a wider African reality,” said the Executive Mayor.
Both Pretoria and Johannesburg are experiencing rapid inward migration by people from far-flung provinces as well as elsewhere on the continent and Moya said African cities should develop the infrastructure to accommodate this movement of persons.
“By 2050, six in ten Africans will live in cities. This urban transition brings with it great potential. Our cities are becoming centres of innovation, climate action, and economic activity. They are where the future of Africa is being shaped,” she said.
Academic and chairperson of South Africa’s Public Service Commission Dr Somadoda Fikeni called for drastic review of regulatory regimes across the continent in order to make inter-continental trading easier.
Also in attendance were the mayors of two of America’s cities.