New York, 24 September 2024

On the sidelines of the UNGA Summit of the Future on Tuesday, September 24, Mayor of Freetown & C40 Cities Co-Chair, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, met with Her Excellency Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and current Chair of The Elders. Robinson, a strong advocate for gender equality. Joined by Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, the meeting discussed the significant climate leadership being demonstrated by C40 Cities and Mayors, and the importance of including cities more prominently in multilateral decision-making.

Earlier in the day, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr also attended a breakfast meeting hosted by the Overseas Development Institute, ODI, where discussions centered on how to sustainably support and strengthen African cities beyond short-term funding, projects, and small-scale initiatives. The conversation also explored how to harness the influence of new and diverse actors to effectively champion and support African leadership.