On November 17, 2024, Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr presented the U20 Communique to Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the Urban20 (U20) Summit in Brazil, ahead of the G20 Summit. Witnesses included Mayor Eduardo Paes (Rio de Janeiro), Mayor Anne Hidalgo (Paris), and President Gabriel Boric (Chile).
The U20 Summit, convened by C40 Cities and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), brought together leaders from 82 global cities to emphasize cities’ roles in tackling climate change and driving sustainable development. Brazil and Chile’s presidents underscored the need for urban innovation in climate resilience.
A key highlight was the signing of an MoU between C40 Cities and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), enabling cities in Latin America and the Caribbean to access climate finance directly. This milestone aims to inspire further multilateral support for urban climate efforts.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr addressed the Women’s Leadership Panel, handed over a C40 publication on food and nutrition to Brazil’s First Lady, and advanced discussions on transformative Freetown projects, including the Cable Car system and the TreeTown initiative.
With South Africa hosting next year’s U20 Summit, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr met with Johannesburg and Tshwane officials to strategize, marking an opportunity for African cities to lead on global urban development and climate action.
