Robert Beugré Mambé, Governor of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, has been elected as Vice Chair of the C40 Steering Committee, the governing body providing strategic direction for the global network of 96 cities committed to addressing the climate crisis.
The Governor of Abidjan since 2011, Robert Mambé has served as Director of ministerial cabinets and was assigned to a series of community projects by the World Bank. He was President of the Independent Electoral Commission of the Republic of Ivory Coast before being appointed Governor, taking the lead on bringing social cohesion and rebuilding greater Abidjan.
Placing urban development as a service of humanity, Governor Mambé fights poverty through social and economic projects in urban agriculture and the agro-industry. He revived the financial capital of Abidjan around the emergence project of the President of the Republic, Mr Alassane Ouattara, launching works on roads, electrification, water supply and education in 2011.
Governor Mambé is Vice President of the International Association of Francophone Mayors; Vice President of Metropolis for Africa; Vice President of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities for Africa, which includes the cities of the world recognised by the UN as Peace Messenger Cities; and Vice President of the International Association of Francophone Regions. In 2015, Governor Mambé was included in Young Intelligent Africa’s list of “the 50 personalities that built the Ivory Coast.”
Governor Mambé said: “It’s a great honour to be elected Vice Chair to represent African megacities. As Vice Chair on the C40 Steering Committee, I aim to help refine and consolidate the actions of all cities to support the C40 Agenda in Africa, while promoting inclusive, adaptive and impactful climate actions for our communities.
“I’m looking forward to collaborating with C40 mayors to impact the climate change response at the local level. The challenge is colossal, including in my city Abidjan, the economical hub of the region, but it will not withstand the impact of our concerted actions conducted with responsibility, solidarity and pragmatism to address the climate challenge. Together, let’s support a just, resilient and sustainable development that African cities and future generations need.”
C40’s member cities represent 700 million citizens and one-quarter of the world’s economy. Through collaboration and innovation, C40 mayors and cities are determined to deliver on the Paris Agreement’s highest ambition and keep global temperature rise to below 1.5ºC, and to do so in an equitable way.