East African nation, Rwanda is getting ready to welcome delegates to the first-ever Africa’s New Cities Summit. The opening of registration was announced on 24 August 2023 by the Charter Cities Institute (CCI), hosts of the landmark event in association with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Africa Infrastructure Development Association (AfIDA).
This event will bring together all facets of the international development community – developers, builders, governments, academics, and more – to address the pressing issue of rapid urbanization in Africa. The Summit serves as a platform for discussing challenges, finding solutions, and optimizing opportunities related to urbanization.
The Summit will bring together leading global experts in designing, financing, constructing, governing, and operating new city developments throughout the continent and around the world. A key aspect of the event will be the exchange of best practices, challenges, and lessons learned among those actively involved in building new cities. The event will feature panel discussions, networking opportunities, installations of exhibits, local vendors, artisans, and much more.
Speakers so far announced include:
- Clare Akamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board
- Daniel Yu, Founder and CEO of Wasoko
- Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Co-founder of Itana, Future Africa, Andela, and Flutterwave
- Leonard Wantchekon, Founder, African School of Economics
- Corey Gray, CEO, Smart Cities Council
Additional speakers, panelists, and exhibitors are confirmed, with more being announced daily. Panels are equally diverse and engaging, and include sessions on: Unlocking Africa’s Silicon Valley; Challenges & Lessons from New City Builders on the Front Lines; Digitizing City Services and e-Governance; and Next Generation SEZ’s. Much more than a traditional conference, this event will also showcase Kigali and Rwanda, with city tours and an optional trek to see the majestic mountain gorillas.
Kurtis Lockhart, Executive Director of CCI, said “We’re thrilled to bring this event to Kigali, and to bring together a diverse, talented, and star-studded group of government officials, pioneering tech entrepreneurs, private investors, city developers, leading academics, and more to help find solutions and optimize opportunities related to urbanization in Africa.”
“The Africa’s New Cities Summit will be a great platform for us to share solutions on how to make our cities livable for all. Rwanda is already implementing various initiatives to ensure this – from infrastructure development, set up of the Kigali Innovation City to the establishment of special economic zones and industrial parks that attract investments and provide employment opportunities for our people. We look forward to hosting this inaugural summit in Rwanda and ensure a better future for Africa,” added Clare Akamanzi, CEO of RDB.
The three-day event will be held at the Hotel Serena and the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village, commencing on November 16, 2023. Limited sponsorship opportunities remain available for this landmark event.