Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, vice president, has urged using sister-city partnerships for economic growth.
Although sister-city connections have often been established for diplomatic, cultural, or educational goals, he claimed that in the current economic situation, it is preferable to connect and broaden them for economic growth.
This was said by Dr. Bawumia in a speech delivered at the Sister Cities International (SCI) African Regional Conference in Pretoria, South Africa, last Friday. The message was read on his behalf by Augustine Collins Ntim, a deputy minister of local government, decentralization, and rural development.
Building better partnerships in Africa for sustainable economic development via the Sister Cities Global Partnership was the subject of Dr. Bawumia's address.
"Transforming SCI Africa: Honoring Traditions, Creating New Relationships" was the event's topic. The summit's objective was to establish 500 new US-Africa collaborations by 2028 to provide exceptional chances for the continent's global, economic, and sustainable growth.
Cities powering the global economy
According to Dr. Bawumia, cities today compete and operate in a different world than they did fifty years ago. It has also been predicted that by 2030, 75% of the world's population will live in cities, and that over 90% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) will be generated by urban activity.
According to him, cities are the backbone of the world economy and are now the primary sources of new jobs, productivity, and innovation.
The vice president pointed out that as commerce across areas increased, rising economies in South America, Asia, and Africa—or, more precisely, their cities—became the centers of economic power.
International Sister Cities
From that meeting sprang Sister Cities International, a nonprofit organization designed to assist towns in realizing their aspirations.
Now, SCI has more than 500 US member towns, counties, and states that have joined forces with more than 2,100 communities in 145 other nations.
Its goal is to promote peace and prosperity on a global scale through interpersonal communication, international interchange, and governmental action.
Collaborations
According to Dr. Bawumia, authorities, companies, and other members of the community in sister cities have a special opportunity to share knowledge in areas of policy including sanitation, water, health, transportation, tourism, sustainability, economic growth, and education.
Communities of sister cities, he continued, were also in a good position to help one another out in difficult situations.
He said that cultural traditions, including music, art, food, and dress, might be a good way for two groups to learn from one another.
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