#AF7 A New Approach for the Africa Union on Safety in African Cities : The role of Local Governments

This dialogue aims to raise the highest level of attention to the prevailing heightened context of insecurity in African cities and how innovative practices over the past 20 years on the role of local authorities in promoting a people centred framework for the realization of safety is a key driver for the attainment of the Africa Agenda 2063. Taking into account the UN standards and norms that have been developed and tested by the UN-Habitat Safer Cities
Programme, guidelines on the role of Local Authorities in supporting Safer Cities need to be adopted by Africa member states including promoting the safety of women, exploring youth as agents of change for safer communities, planning for social integration in cities, and the right to the city for all in the availability, access and use of safe public spaces.
At the height of new emerging crimes such as radicalization of youth, xenophobia and other forms of crime and violence, addressing the proposed theme “A New Approach for the Africa Union on Safety in African Cities : The role of Local Governments for achieving Africa’s Agenda 2063” will provide a deeper understanding among stakeholders on the centrality of urban safety as a prerequisite for the achievement of the Africa Agenda 2063.

The theme will celebrate some of the achievements and practices of local governments in developing and implementing city and urban safety plans that are creating urban conditions for prevention of crime and violence and which can build new forms of urban governance, urban planning and urban management for improved quality of life of citizens of Africa, across gender, age and cultural diversity. It is expected to build on the outcomes of the 1st Africa Forum for Urban Safety (AFUS) that will be hosted by Durban, back to back with Africities, and adopt a set of recommendations and guidelines for consideration at the Africa Union Ministerial segments.

The session for the event discussions will be moderated by the Mayor of Johannesburg and the Mayor of Treichville as the two regional co-chairs of the Africa Network on Safer Cities with keynote presentations by the Director of Programme Division at UN-Habitat, a representative of UN-Women, a representative of UCLG Africa, a representative of the Africa Union, and select Ministers and Mayors from Africa where the Safer Cities approach has been piloted. Other prospective participants include Ministers and Mayors, senior experts from African Member States, other United Nations agencies, women’s groups, youth groups, private sector, academic and research institutions, development partners and other intergovernmental organizations.

Panel
Mayoral Panel
by Mayors Parks Tau & James Nxumalo + 3 others from African cities (e.g. Lagos/Dakar, Kampala, Kinshasa, Luanda, Rabat)