Africities: The Role of Secondary Cities Promoting Migrants Integration

Cities around the world are experiencing the emergence of an unprecedented refugee situation that is often sudden and massive in scale. Over 70 million people worldwide are fleeing their homes as a result of persecution, conflict, generalized violence, or human rights violations.

Most refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are now living in urban or semi-urban areas, instead of in camps or purpose-built settlements. This shift has put considerable pressure on cities, especially fast-growing secondary cities in developing countries that are already struggling to meet the needs of their populations. Urban settlements are key in tackling challenges emerging from migration or forced displacement

During the Africities Summit, Cities Alliance is co-organizing a session on "The role of secondary cities in promoting and providing durable solutions to migration and forced displacements" together with IGAD, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and UCLG-Africa.

The session will highlight the needs and the gaps that secondary cities are facing and how they can promote the inclusion of migrants and displaced populations to support the delivery of the EU funded Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) and international agendas, in the Horn of Africa. 

Featured speakers: 

• Dr Sanya Wilson, Mayor, Koboko Municipality Uganda
• Malish Bonjira Asu, Refugee Representative, Executive Director-SSURA, South Sudan 
• Hibo Hassan Harun, Mayor Representative and director of planning and development, Gabiley Municipality, Somalia
• Solomon Sonko, Representative from the Office of the Prime Minister, Uganda
• Abdirahaman Ahmad Muhumad, Director of the Institute of Migration Studies (IMS), Jigjiiga University, Ethiopia