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The MMC for Human Settlements in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Anthea Leitch, represented the municipality at the 18th Annual Session of the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS 2023) held between 2 and 3 December 2023 in Dubai, UAE. 

The GFHS 2023 brought together senior officials, business leaders and experts from various international organisations to foster a collaborative environment to address pressing global challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss and social fragmentation.

It focused on generating actionable recommendations for policymaking, promoting synergies for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and scaling up sustainable development actions at a local level. Topics such as green, fair, and smart urban transformation, clean energy, sustainable waste management, and nature-based solutions for urban development were discussed.

As part of GFHS 2023, the Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards ceremony 2023, which formed part of the conference, recognised excellence in sustainable development practices. Awards included Global Green City, Global Smart City and Global Human Settlements Award on Planning and Design.

MMC Leitch expressed optimism about the outcomes of the event, highlighting the significance of international collaboration in tackling global challenges. She reaffirmed Johannesburg’s commitment to implementing innovative solutions for green and sustainable urban development.

Cllr Leitch was the only female dignitary to participate in a high-level briefing and what rang true through all discussions of the conference was that more females are needed in the space of transformation and namely government as there is an innate care and nurture factor from the female perspective on healing, which is evidently absent. 

Issued by The City of Johannesburg,