Charter Cities Institute & Waterfall City to Host 2026 New Cities Summit in Johannesburg

Waterfall City

Focused on the business of building cities, the Summit is the premier event to transform bold ideas into impactful action

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, March 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Charter Cities Institute (CCI), in partnership with Waterfall City Management Company (WCMC), will host the 2026 edition of the global New Cities Summit at Waterfall City in Johannesburg this December. Building on CCI’s groundbreaking Africa’s New Cities Summit in Kigali in 2023, and the highly successful New Cities Summit in Nairobi in 2025, this Summit will cement its status as the leading global platform for advancing the future of urban development. Convening governments, technology executives, private investors, city developers, entrepreneurs, infrastructure providers, philanthropists, scholars, professional service firms, and more to address the challenges and seize the opportunities of building thriving new cities around the world, the New Cities Summit is the essential gathering for those committed to reimagining urban living at scale and taking action to see ideas to fruition.

Willie Vos, CEO of Waterfall City Management Company, said: “It is a great honor for us to host the 2026 New Cities Summit at Waterfall City – the largest mixed-use development in Africa. While our 2,200-hectare smart city is only halfway complete, we believe it already reflects the pioneering urban design and human-centric principles that underpin this project. We are proud to showcase how innovative planning, long-term vision and dedicated property management can translate into a smart, safe and sustainable environment, where people can truly live, work, play and prosper. At the same time, we look forward to engaging with global thought leaders and gaining valuable insights during the Summit, as we continue building a city that raises the bar for urban development.”

Previous editions of the Summit have unlocked investments, catalyzed partnerships, engaged governmental bodies (the 2023 Summit was held with Rwanda Development Board and the 2025 Summit was held in partnership with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry), unveiled major projects, and accelerated real-world implementation of bold ideas. This year the Summit will bring together more than 600 leaders – from the private and public sector – driving the next generation of city development worldwide with projects, panels, pitches, and deals that exemplify this year’s theme:

Innovating the Business of Building Cities: Capital. Infrastructure. Governance.

Distinct from traditional conferences, the New Cities Summit is designed around connection, execution, and actions – all structured to de-risk urban investment, accelerate capital formation, and strengthen the global new cities ecosystem. Key discussions will focus on job creation, investment attraction, governance innovation, infrastructure development, and sustainable economic growth. The program will feature deal rooms, pitch competitions, curated networking sessions, collaborative workshops, and brand activations. The Summit will also feature curated cultural and tourism experiences showcasing the richness and dynamism of South Africa. Initial speakers, featured projects, and full session programming will be announced throughout the coming months.

Summit Producer and Head of Communications for CCI, Michael Holstein, added: “Whether you’re looking to invest, partner, pitch, or just better understand how new cities are reshaping economic and social landscapes around the world, the New Cities Summit offers an unparalleled opportunity to connect, collaborate, and move projects forward. The Summit’s growth and impact have been extraordinary, and we’re proud to partner with Waterfall City to build on this success and showcase to our global community a world-class development and shining example of the new cities movement.”

2026 Summit speakers, sponsors and collaborators – from governments, NGO’s, and the private sector – will be announced shortly, as will registration and other event information. A select number of partnership opportunities remain, including bespoke activations and events for organizations seeking to align with the future of global urban development.

For more information please contact:

Michael Holstein (michael@cci.city) or Chanté van den Berg (chante@waterfall.co.za)

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About the Charter Cities Institute:
The Charter Cities Institute builds the ecosystem for new city development. Founded on the belief that innovative governance models are needed to address humanity’s most pressing challenges — including poverty, climate change, and rapid urbanization — CCI collaborates with governments, developers, investors, and organizations incubating projects worldwide. Through policy research, technical assistance, events, media, and strategic partnerships, CCI raises awareness, lays the institutional groundwork, convenes key stakeholders, and accelerates the development of charter cities designed to expand opportunity and improve quality of life at scale. Learn more at https://chartercitiesinstitute.org/

About Waterfall City:
At 2,200-hectare, Waterfall City is the largest mixed-use development in Africa and the largest property development in South African history, ultimately combining over 28,000 residential units housing an estimated 80,000 people, with approximately 2.5 million square meters of Gross Leasable Area (GLA) for commercial, retail and office space, which will eventually accommodate a further 95,000 people. This extensive urban concept development can be found in Gauteng, the economic hub of South Africa. Waterfall City is extraordinary in the sense that, as a ‘greenfield’ development, unaffected by the constraints of older developments and existing infrastructure, it has allowed developers and planners to create a new city from a blank slate, utilizing the latest urban design principles for infrastructure, services, open public spaces and, of course, the buildings themselves. Find out more at www.waterfallcity.co.za

Michael Holstein
CCI
michael@cci.city
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