By John Baimba Sesay, Senior Manager, Communications, C40 Freetown Co-Chair Office
Her Worship Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE, Mayor of Freetown and Co-Chair of C40 Cities, has arrived in Rio de Janeiro for the 2025 C40 World Mayors Summit. The event, co-hosted by Mayor Aki-Sawyerr Freetown Mayor and C40 Co-Chair, London Mayor and C40 Co-Chair Sadiq Khan alongside Rio de Janeiro Mayor, Eduardo Paes, brings together leaders from nearly 100 C40 cities, as well as business executives, philanthropists, to accelerate climate action ahead of COP30.
Spanning from 3–5 November in Rio de Janeiro, the Summit represents a pivotal moment for city-led climate action. Drawing on two decades of C40 Cities’ leadership, it will showcase innovative solutions from across the globe, demonstrate the impact of results-driven collaboration and build momentum ahead of COP30.
During her time in Rio, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr will represent Global South cities across a series of high-level engagements. She will participate in the C40 Steering Committee Meeting, reflecting on the network’s 20-year journey while advocating for stronger city-national partnerships and direct access to climate finance.
The Mayor will further speak at sessions on climate finance, resilience, migration and just transitions, emphasizing that equitable access to climate funding and inclusive green jobs are essential for building a fair and sustainable future. Her interventions will highlight some of the innovative solutions adopted by Freetown as a model for other cities in the Global South tackling climate challenges.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr’s engagements will culminate in the World Mayors Summit Closing Plenary, where she will join global leaders in charting the path for city-led action toward COP30.
The Summit also launches the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, co-hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the COP30 Presidency. The Forum highlights the critical role of local leadership in global climate negotiations, showcasing scalable, city-led solutions and ensuring that local priorities shape the outcomes of COP30.
