The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said Ghana’s 37 active sister-city partnerships with communities across the United States are delivering tangible development benefits, demonstrating the growing impact of city diplomacy.
She made the remarks at the 70th anniversary celebration of Sister Cities International in Washington, D.C., where she highlighted the role of local government partnerships in promoting sustainable development and strengthening international cooperation.
According to the Vice President, Ghana’s sister-city relationships have evolved beyond symbolic agreements to become practical platforms for development.
“The value of these partnerships goes far beyond symbolism,” she said.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang noted that the partnerships have supported cooperation in local governance, agricultural development, capacity building and knowledge exchange, benefiting communities across the country.
She stressed that the true measure of city diplomacy lies not in the number of agreements signed but in the lasting impact they have on citizens.
“The success of city diplomacy may be measured initially by the agreements signed, but ultimately it is measured by the real outcomes that those relationships produce over time,” she stated.
The Vice President underscored the importance of strong local governments in ensuring that international partnerships translate into meaningful development outcomes. She linked the success of Ghana’s sister-city engagements to the country’s decentralisation agenda, emphasizing that governance must reach communities, towns and districts where citizens interact directly with government.
She said the government is strengthening local authorities through increased resource allocation, including a commitment to channel 80 percent of the District Assemblies Common Fund directly to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
“Development interventions must respond to the needs of our citizens. They must be informed by evidence, guided by accountability, and measurable,” she said.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang also highlighted Africa’s growing significance on the global stage, noting that by the middle of this century, one in every four people in the world will be African.
She said stronger partnerships between African cities and their counterparts around the world would be critical in driving sustainable economic development.
She further emphasized the importance of cultural exchanges, describing people-to-people relationships as the foundation for building trust, mutual understanding and lasting peace.
The 70th anniversary celebration of Sister Cities International brought together city leaders, diplomats, development partners and community representatives from across the globe to reflect on seven decades of fostering international cooperation through city-to-city partnerships.
