The Cities of Cape Coast and New Orleans, United States have signed a Sister Cities Relations to strengthen relations between the two cities.
The origins of this relationship and shared history can be traced back to the most traumatic interruption that ever occurred in the natural evolution of African societies – the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, an influx of Free People and Free People of African descent to the New World occurred.
The Honorable Ernest Arthur, Mayor of Cape Coast and the Honorable LaToya Cantrell, Mayor of the City of New Orleans this morning signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join their respective cities as “Sister Cities” to strengthen relations and provide mutual benefit to their communities.
The ceremony was attended by the President of Oguaa Traditional Council, Osaberima Kwesi Atta II, Member of Parliament for Gushegu and Deputy Minister for Tourism, Hon. Dr. Ziblim Iddi, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North Constituency and Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Barbara Asher Ayisi, the Sariki-Zongo, Alhaji Mahmoud Mazawojey Dandey, the Executive Secretary of PANAFEST Foundation, Rabi Kohain Halevi, the Metro Co-ordinating Director, Madam Rachel Fosua Sarpong, Members of Management at the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly and friends from the diaspora.
With the goals of prosperity, cultural understanding and exchange, the two parties shall explore opportunities to cultivate closer relations with one another through cooperative activities in the areas of economic development, cultural exchanges, educational opportunities and technical exchanges, such as:
- academic cooperation between our respective universities and other educational institutions;
- cooperation and exchange between local development agencies, chambers of commerce and tourism departments
- opportunities for municipal exchanges including Economic Development in the areas of Tourism, Agriculture, Infrastructure, City Management, Waste and Water Management as well as Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management and Climate Change.
- support for exchanges of art and cultural products between our respective museums and galleries and other cultural institutions;
Each party shall seek to identify other areas for collaboration and, in all activities, work for the benefit of both communities. The aforementioned activities will be facilitated by a joint New Orleans-Cape Coast Sister Cities Committee through which both cities shall participate in the fulfillment of this Agreement.
Both cities will endeavor to formulate the structure and membership of this Committee and ensure that it convenes at least once a year, or whenever necessary, for the purposes of collaboration, representation and evaluation of the respective city’s contributions toward this Agreement.
By: News Desk
Source:Modernghana.com
Link: https://www.modernghana.com/news/976350/the-cities-of-cape-coast-and-new-orleans-form-sist.html