The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) generously allocated the last session of the Commonwealth Business Forum to sustainable urbanisation through a 10-minute segment, dedicated to the Call to action on sustainable urbanisation across the Commonwealth.
The segment was presented by Bernard Wagner, the Mayor of Belize, and Astrid Haas, Urban Economist, formerly with International Growth Centre and the African Development Bank.
Their presentation emphasised the importance of partnership with the private sector in ensuring liveable cities and communities for all and was followed by a panel discussion, which included Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the Executive Director of UN Habitat, together with representatives from South Bridge Investments, the Rwanda Space Agency, the International Finance Corporation and Diamond Developers (UAE)
Recording of the Future cities: Sustainable urbanisation session at the Commonwealth Business Forum
This official side event provided an opportunity to convene key Commonwealth stakeholders, share good practice and present the Call to Action and explore opportunities to mobilise the Commonwealth to identify priorities and actions to advance the initiative.
It directly contributed to the overarching CHOGM theme of Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming and complemented the work undertaken in other forums.
People are at the heart of the Commonwealth agenda and this event focused on approaches that ensure citizens are at the heart of making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Recognising that 60% of the Commonwealth population is under 30, there was a focus on integrating the voices of young leaders and professionals into the dialogue.
This interactive programme provided a natural segue into the closing segment of the business, organised by the Rwanda Development Board and supported by the Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council.
Programme
Acknowledgements
The CSCI partners thank all those who supported our activities at CHOGM, including moderators, panellists, participants and particularly those supporting logistics.
All images and videos are credited to: Event & Media Services Ltd, Kigali, Rwanda
The Commonwealth Association of Architects and the Commonwealth Association of Planners, working in partnership with the Rwandan Institute of Architects, the Institute of Engineers Rwanda, and the Rwandan Urban Planning Institute, hosted a multi-disciplinary Presidents Roundtable for 20 representatives of national architectural, engineering and planning institutes from East Africa and beyond.
Leaders came together to consider how they can contribute to the implementation of the Call to action on sustainable urbanisation across the Commonwealth and resolved to commit themselves to work together in a multi-disciplinary collaboration:
- To champion and ensure that sustainable urbanisation and climate action (mitigation and adaptation) is at the heart of our common future and is firmly rooted in the built environment professions (e.g. architecture, engineering and planning, economists, surveyors, environmental specialists, and finance experts, etc) ethics, standards, principles, data and policies.
- To develop and promote a Commonwealth dialogue in our respective jurisdictions and networks to define and implement a new way of working towards transparent and accountable multi-level governance, sustainable urbanisation, and climate action.
- To lead the development of new partnerships and strategies within and between the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, and at all levels of government to achieve a Commonwealth-led response to the challenges and opportunities of sustainable urbanisation and climate change.
- To come together between and at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings to review progress and to look for further opportunities to take practical action to address sustainable urbanisation, climate change, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- To promote and celebrate the built environment professions as experts in sustainable urbanisation and in taking climate action, and to jointly advocate for the Call to Action to Commonwealth Heads of Government and other associated international organisations.
- To invite the Presidents of all built environment professions to engage in and implement the Call to action on sustainable urbanisation.
Acknowledgements
The CSCI partners thank all those who supported our activities at CHOGM, including our partners in the built environment professions.
All Images and videos are credited to: Event & Media Services Ltd, Kigali, Rwanda.
This official side event provided an opportunity to convene key Commonwealth stakeholders, share good practice and present the Call to Action and explore opportunities to mobilise the Commonwealth to identify priorities and actions to advance the initiative.
It directly contributed to the overarching CHOGM theme of Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming and complemented the work undertaken in other forums.
People are at the heart of the Commonwealth agenda and this event focused on approaches that ensure citizens are at the heart of making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Recognising that 60% of the Commonwealth population is under 30, there was a focus on integrating the voices of young leaders and professionals into the dialogue.
This interactive programme provided a natural segue into the closing segment of the business, organised by the Rwanda Development Board and supported by the Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council.
Acknowledgements
The CSCI partners thank all those who supported our activities at CHOGM, including moderators, panellists, participants, and particularly those supporting logistics.
All Images and videos are credited to: Event & Media Services Ltd, Kigali, Rwanda
The Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Initiative delivered a number of activities related to the Call to action on sustainable urbanisation during the week of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda.
Programme
CYSU launch at the Commonwealth Youth Forum
19 June 2022
21 June 2022
For the programme, summary of proceedings and event recordings, click here.
22 June 2022
For the summary of proceedings, click here.
22 June 2022
For the programme, summary of proceedings and event recordings, click here.
Site visits to Mpazi
22 June 2022
Business Forum gala dinner
22 June 2022
Public lectures
22 June 2022
23 June 2022
For the summary of proceedings and event recording, click here.
A challenge to the Commonwealth – Towards a sustainable world at the Business Forum
23 June 2022
As part of the 11th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF 11) in Poland, the CSCI partners hosted a networking event on the Call to action on sustainable urbanisation.
Closely aligned with the theme of WUF 11 – Transforming our Cities for a Better Urban Future – the CSCI event focused on the adoption of the Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation by Commonwealth Heads of Government in Rwanda and considered the opportunity to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-level way to close capacity, data, governance, and finance gaps.
Speakers
Key Messages
- There is a need to involve, empower and build the capacity of youth and young professionals in the field of sustainable urbanisation.
- There is a need for ongoing training and capacity building of politicians and technical staff.
- Training should consider ways in which the capacity of professional staff can be rapidly enhanced to respond to the challenges of rapid urbanisation and climate change, without necessarily requiring 4-year degrees.
- Existing capacity is undermined by a lack of effective coordination.
- Sharing of data and experience is needed to facilitate robust and relevant policy development and decision making, linked to a stronger emphasis on planning.
- Local governments are on the front line of service delivery and addressing local issues, hence strong local leadership is critical.
- Effective local leadership requires decentralisation to local governments and people.
- Decentralisation must be supported by a clear division of responsibilities between central and local governments.
- The interests of those who suffer the most from unsustainable urbanisation should be the focal point for action on sustainable urbanisation.
- Service delivery must be part of a wider agenda focused on the transformation of society.
- The relationship between UN Habitat and the Commonwealth should be strengthened through practical collaboration.
- Mutual understanding is required for more effective engagement and partnership between the public and private sectors.
- There is a need for funding for technical cooperation projects, and a focus on private sector firms involved in community wealth building, linking to the circular economy.
- There has been enough talking; it is time to act.
Acknowledgements
The CSCI partners thank all those who supported our activities at WUF 11, including moderators, panellists, and participants.