Lupita Nyongo appointed goodwill ambassador for 9th Africities Summit in Kisumu in May

The starring actress of Black Panther and its upcoming sequel Wakanda Forever will serve as the first-ever ambassador for the economic development forum.

The Africities Summit is organised through partnership with the Government of Kenya, the Council of Governors of Kenya (CoG) and the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa).

Another first for the Africities Summit - the largest democratic gathering organized on the African continent - is the venue picked for 2022. The County of Kisumu will be the first-ever intermediary city in UCLG Africa to host the five-day event.

With more than 5,000 participants expected to discuss the 2030 and 2063 Agendas which call for urgent reflection on resilient and sustainable urbanization in Africa, the theme chosen for the event 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”.

Organisers of the event have announced one of the goals of the 9th edition as: "mobilising the African and Afro-descendant diaspora to begin the journey towards an African renaissance with their fellow citizens who have remained on the continent as well as with all people of goodwill interested in the development, integration, and unity of Africa."

As part of the Summit, and at the same location, will be the International Exhibition for Cities and Local Authorities by institutions, economic operators, academia and research, civil society organizations.

They will be exhibiting their experiences, knowhow, methods, tools, products, in response to the requests and needs in terms of support to local governments for the implementation of their mandates.

Improvements in Kisumu ahead of Africities Summit 2022

Africities is an organisation tasked with promoting economic development in African cities and placed under the High Patronage of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The government has spent more than Sh1 billion in preparation for the event. The lakeside city is undergoing beautification projects, rehabilitation of roads, and the construction of a Sh1.4 billion AfriCities Convention Centre. Also undergoing major revamping is the Kisumu International Airport.

According to Africities Secretariat in Kenya, Aloice Ager, the conference will be a major economic boost for counties in the lake region with hotel occupancy expected to be high. He also said that over 10,000 delegates are expected.