COGTA to host the BRICS Urbanisation Forum in South Africa
The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Ms Thembi Nkadimeng will host the BRICS Urbanisation Forum in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa under the theme “Advancing urban resilience for sustainable cities and towns for future generations”.
The BRICS Summit is preceded by a number events and activities taking place in the host country. To this effect, the BRICS Urbanisation Forum will precede the BRICS Summit which is scheduled for August 2023.
The BRICS Urbanisation Forum provides a platform for governments, organisations, experts and scholars from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to engage with some of the issues expected to arise at the BRICS Summit, and subsequently provide policy advice to the leaders of the BRICS countries in August of this year(2023).
The BRICS Forum, also intends to ensure that key issues of urbanisation are placed on the global agenda of the BRICS member countries. Areas of discussion will include building productive and sustainable urban economies and livelihood survival strategies in urban environments.
The BRICS Urbanisation Forum will go a long way to share sharing insights, exchanging best practices, and fostering collaboration on urban development challenges among the BRICS member countries. South Africa will utilize this opportunity to also showcase the country's achievements in urbanisation, highlighting successful projects that have contributed to sustainable development and inclusive growth.
The Forum acknowledges the global trend of increasing urbanisation, with a significant influx of people migrating to cities worldwide. It further acknowledges that cities must transform into centers of innovation and creativity to overcome the challenges that arise from rapid urbanisation, rural-urban migration, climate change, and limited resources.
Additionally, the Forum notes that an increasing number of cities are choosing to employ smart technologies and promote innovative practices as part of their endeavors to enhance resilience and livability, in response to challenges such as congestion, rising crime rates, growing urban poverty, and the need for more efficient service delivery.
Minister Nkadimeng, who leads South Africa’s unwavering commitment to sustainable urban development, expressed her enthusiasm about hosting the forum noting that "South Africa is honored to welcome distinguished delegates from BRICS countries as well as other African countries for this vital gathering that will dissect some of the key urban development issues to understand how globally cities are becoming more resilient towards these challenges.”
During the forum, participants will engage in panel discussions and knowledge sharing sessions centered around various thematic areas such as Localisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; Digital Transformation; Sustainable Human Settlements; Climate change; Urban water resilience and Urban Resilience – Governance perspective. The exchange of ideas and experiences will contribute to the development of effective policies, strategies, and interventions that can be adapted to each nation's unique circumstances. The eThekwini Metro has been chosen to host the Forum and the Metro to showcase its response to Urban Resilience, including its response to the devastating floods experienced in 2022 and various other urban resilience initiatives.
The Metro as a DDM pilot site will also showcase the role of the DDM and the District One Plan as comprehensive blueprints for integrated and sustainable development, bringing together all of government and society to collaborate and align efforts toward achieving common goals.
The two days Forum is scheduled to take place as follows:
Date: 26 - 27 July 2023
Time: 09h00 (CAT)
Venue: Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre Complex, Durban, eThekwini Metro, KwaZulu-Natal
*Note to Editors: *The 1st BRICS Urbanisation Forum was held in New Delhi, India in February 2013. The forum was established with the objective of bringing together various stakeholders from the BRICS countries including BRICS Ministerial delegations, representatives from local governments, policymakers, and other stakeholders to place key issues of urbanization on their agenda for action. The last edition of the forum was hosted online under the presidency of China in 2022.
Members of the media wishing to cover the event are advised to complete the attached registration form in full and send it to Neliswac@cogta.gov.za(link sends e-mail)
Members of the media must also confirm their attendance by registering on the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/abW9LqKZh5(link is external)
Enquiries:
Tsekiso Machike: +27 78 237 3900
Legadima Leso: +27 66 479 9904
Source: Government of South Africa