African Mayors Awards: Accra, Kinondoni and Praia winners

The cities of Accra in Ghana, Kinondoni in Tanzania and Praia in Cape Verde won the inaugural José Eduardo dos Santos African Mayor Awards. During the evening of 30 April 2015, UCLG Africa announced the winners of the very first African Mayor Awards in Luanda, Angola. 

Angola’s Minister of State and Chief of Civil House in the office of the President, Hon Edeltrudes Maurício Fernandes Gaspar da Costa, hosted the formal presentation ceremony and a Gala dinner and more than 350 guests attended the event. These guests that comprised government officials, city leaders, African mayors, investors and business leaders had also the opportunity to gather during the 2nd Africa Urban Infrastructure Investment Forum held from 29-30 April 2015 in Angola’s capital city, Luanda. 

UCLG Africa Secretary General, Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, said in the ceremony that “The José Eduardo dos Santos African Mayor Awards aim to raise the profile of Africa’s Mayors by honoring those who have made an outstanding contribution to their communities and developed a vision for urban living, working and travelling across Africa”. He also added,

Each year, outstanding African Mayors and municipal professionals from a large metropolis, an intermediate city and a small city have the opportunity to win the prestigious Awards.” 

This year, the winning cities will receive prize money totaling $350,000 for specific initiatives. US$50,000 will go to the city of Praia in Cape Verde (small city), $100,000 will go to Kinondoni in Tanzania (medium city) and Accra in Ghana (large city) will receive $200,000.

UCLG Africa Secretary General hoped that these awards “will encourage other Mayors to think long and hard about what sort of cities they want, to engage with their communities and to contribute to developing sustainable urban cities in Africa”.

This year’s African Mayor Awards are supported by the Government of Angola, the UN-Habitat, IC Publications Group as well as United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa). 

  • For more information, you can read the press release here
  • You can also see all the photos from the Forum and the Awards ceremony here

Source: UCLG-A