Sakaja rallies African city leaders for bold climate action and green financing

Speaking at the African Cities Leadership Roundtable on Green Finance and Resilient Climate Action in Nairobi, Sakaja, who also serves as C40 Vice Chair for Africa, emphasized the need for stronger partnerships, innovative financing, and bold climate leadership.

“We are not just discussing climate action; we are shaping the future of our cities. As mayors and governors, our role is to champion policies that will ensure green and resilient urban development,” Sakaja stated.

A key theme of the roundtable was the urgent need for sustainable financing mechanisms. Sakaja stressed that without adequate funding, African cities would struggle to implement climate solutions. He championed the use of green bonds, climate funds, and public-private partnerships to accelerate the transition to low-carbon economies.

“The solutions to our challenges are within reach, but only if we collaborate and leverage innovative financing mechanisms,” he emphasized.

He urged African leaders to amplify their voices in global climate discussions, particularly at upcoming forums such as the C40 Summit and COP30, calling for greater integration of African cities into global sustainability dialogues to ensure the continent remains at the forefront of climate leadership.

“Let us continue to be champions of climate resilience and green finance for Africa. The world is looking to us, and we must rise to the occasion,” he said.

Over 250 participants amongst them mayors, city leaders, policy makers,investors and business leaders have gathered in Nairobi for the Green and Resilient UrbanShift Africa Forum