Africa’s Green Economy Summit will connect high-potential climate and other sustainable development projects across Africa with global capital. WRI will be co-hosting and participating in the following sessions during the 3-day summit.

 

Tuesday, February 20

 

C40 City-Business Climate Alliance Workshop 

Time: 12:30-17:00 SAST

Venue: Room 11

Supported by UrbanShift, the C40 City-Business Climate Alliance (CBCA) workshop will provide training and peer-to-peer learning for African city officials working with the business community to drive and accelerate climate action. Cities attending the event include Freetown, Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Accra, and Johannesburg. 

Moderator:

  • Pablo Lazo, Director of Urban Development, WRI, Mexico

Speakers:

  • Aklilu Fikresilassie (Ph.D), Director for Thriving Resilient Cities, WRI Africa

 

 

Thursday, February 22

 

Water Resilience in African Cities

Time: 12:30-13:30 SAST

Venue: Hall D – Ground floor

Over 220 million Africans lack secure water due to insufficient investment in resilient infrastructure. Funding is far below the required US$64 billion yearly estimated by the AfDB for water security by 2025. Urgent action is needed to revamp investments, establish climate-resilient water systems and foster cross-regional collaborations for reliable, affordable water in resilient urban areas. 

Moderator:

  • Pablo Lazo, Director of Urban Development, WRI, Mexico

Panelists:

  • Kerry Max, Deputy Director Partnering for Climate, Global Affairs Canada
  • Ernest Poku, Executive Director, Africa Water Infrastructure Development Ltd (AWID), Dubai, UAE
  • Dhevan Govender, General Manager – Business Development, Suez, South Africa
  • Gaetan Tiberghien, Regional Lead, Utilities and Urban Infrastructure, Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
  • Johann Lübbe, Head, Water Partnerships Office, DBSA, South Africa
  • Cecil Nundwe, Principal Water Resources Management Officer, AfDB, South Africa

 

Fireside Chat: Urban Transformation - Forging New Partnerships

Time: 9:15-9:45 SAST

Venue: Hall A,B – Ground floor

Special guests will explore groundbreaking urban development strategies and forging impactful collaborations to unlock the potential for private investment as the driving force in bridging the urban finance gap. 

Moderator:

  • Dominic Wilhelm, Executive Director, The Global Trust Project, South Africa 

Guests:

  • Todd Gartner, Director, Cities4Forests and Natural Infrastructure, WRI
  • Geordin Hill-Lewis, Executive Mayor, City of Cape Town, South Africa 

 

Roundtable: African Cities Water Adaptation Fund (ACWA Fund)

Venue: Hall A, B, C – Ground floor

Time: 17:00 – 18:00 SAST

WRI and Pegasys will be co-hosting a roundtable discussion on the ACWA Fund at AGES24. The Fund will be featured to investors among a curated array of climate and sustainability funds, tools, and resources, specifically centered around catalyzing Africa’s green economy and building climate adaptation capacities.

Speakers:

  • Senior Representatives, WRI & Pegasys

Event Contact: