Our Mission
The mission of the US-Africa Mayors Summit is to strengthen economic and cultural ties between The US and Africa, to foster connections between municipalities, enhance citizens diplomacy, boost exchange of expertise, build leadership capacity and empower our cities to become the drivers of innovations in order tackle the pressing challenges posed by rapid urbanization, to spur economic growth and deliver adequate services to our communities.
Our Approach
We work to advance innovations and inclusive economic growth in our cities for healthier communities
The US-Africa Mayor’s Summit takes on the promises of the US-Africa Summit to build on our shared values and foster new economic engagement. It also upheld the objectives of the US Representation of City and State Diplomacy which consists of bringing the benefits of U.S. foreign policy, such as jobs, investments, innovative solutions, and international experiences, to the local and state level and to foster the connections among cities, municipalities, and communities in the United States and abroad.
The US-Africa Mayors’ summit also builds on the promises of the 2016 UN Agenda to make cities more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Identifying sustainable urbanization as one of the keys priorities for global development. The UN Habitat urges that cities should be encouraged to innovate and experiment, and also to learn from one another in order to hasten this transition.
The US have been engaged with Africa for many decades now. But the current global political, economic and environmental landscape is urging for more strategic engagement schemes. With a population of more than 1.4 billion people, and more than 60 % of the African population living in cities, it becomes increasingly critical for both the US and Africa Mayors to start working together to harness opportunities posed by rapid urbanization, address shared challenges such as climate change, pandemics, food insecurity and rising global terrorism.
With more than 609 million people living in urban area, the rapid rising middle class, the young population and untapped natural resources, engaging Africa municipal leaders and urban actors is critical if we need to advance US interests and national security, create more opportunities for our businesses, address shared challenges as well as enhancing the capacity of African cities to become the engine of innovation and economic growth, which at the end will be a win-win situation.
“several recent studies project that by the end of this century, Africa will be the only continent experiencing population growth. Thirteen of the world’s 20 biggest urban areas will be in Africa — up from just two today — as will more than a third of the world’s population” - Washington Post
Objectives
The US-Africa Mayor’s summit exists to serve as a platform that inspires and empowers US and Africa municipal leaders, policy makers, the business, philanthropic community and the African diaspora in the US to engage in high level dialogue and exchange of expertise to address pressing challenges and leverage business, technological and environmental opportunities for job creation, inclusive economic growth and innovation in our cities
- To launch a platform that allows U S and African Mayors, in collaboration with the private sectors, non-profit organizations and the African diaspora to start working together to share best practices across high-impact sectors, address pressing challenges and leverage opportunities for innovation in our cities .
- To learn about investment opportunities and create basis for at least 10 business partnerships between US and African for our first Annual Growth.
- To elevate dialogue that informs and empowers the future of leadership, change, and growth in cities across America.
