By Sallieu S. Kanu
January 27, 2025: The Freetown City Council (FCC) and Climate Resilience for All (CRA), will co-host the first African Urban Heat Summit on February 6, 2025, according to a statement from FCC Communications.
The landmark event will bring together African mayors from Kanifing, Monrovia, Conakry, Accra, Ouagadougou and Abidjan among others, local council leaders from across Sierra Leone, multilateral organizations and key stakeholders to address the escalating threat of extreme heat and its significant impact on urban areas.
Championed by Mayor of Freetown, Her Worship Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr and Kathy Baughman McLeod, Chief Executive Officer of Climate Resilience for All, the theme of the Summit will be“Building Resilient African Cities: Tackling Urban Heat Through Innovation, Education and Action”.
The Summit aims to foster regional collaboration, explore sustainable solutions and highlight opportunities to enhance urban climate resilience through actionable strategies and partnerships.
Freetown is the first country in Africa to have appointed a Chief Heat Officer with a focus on developing strategies to mitigate urban heat, enhance public awareness, and implement innovative solutions to build Freetown’s climate resilience.
During the summit, Freetown will unveil its inaugural heat action plan, an initiative aimed at tackling the city’s extreme heat challenges through specific actions, policies, and partnerships.
The Summit will include a high-level roundtable with African mayors, statements, panel discussions and breakout sessions with relevant MDAs, multilateral organisations, and other key participants.