By Joseph S. Conteh
During his visit to Freetown from April 1st to April 2nd, 2025, Mark Watts, the Executive Director of C40 Cities, commended Freetown’s Mayor Ivonne Aki Sawyerr for her outstanding efforts in climate action and collaboration within the C40 global leadership network. Watts highlighted the importance of Freetown’s role as a member city in Africa and globally as part of the network of 96 cities representing a significant portion of the world’s population and global economy.
In a meeting with the media in the FCC conference room, Watts emphasized the core principles of C40 Cities, which focus on facilitating collaboration and resource allocation among member cities to drive sustainable development and combat climate change.
He specifically mentioned the impactful projects in Freetown, such as the cable car initiative aimed at improving transportation services and the health resilience project funded by a competitive grant.
Mayor Yvonne Aki Sawyerr echoed Watts’ sentiments on the partnership between Freetown and C40 Cities, emphasizing the importance of collective action to address climate change at the city level, highlighted the crucial role of C40 Cities in providing financial support and technical expertise for initiatives like the cable car study, which will enhance Freetown’s resilience and sustainability.
outlined four key priorities, including fostering collaboration across government levels, engaging youth in climate action, and addressing the challenges of extreme heat in cities like Freetown.
He emphasized the need for collective efforts to combat climate change and build sustainable and resilient urban environments not only in Freetown but across Sierra Leone and beyond.
