Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang says Ghana's 37 active sister-city partnerships with communities across the United States are delivering tangible development outcomes. She made the remarks at the 70th anniversary celebration of Sister Cities International in Washington, D.C., where she highlighted the role of city diplomacy in advancing sustainable development.

According to the Vice President, the partnerships have evolved beyond symbolic relationships and are producing practical benefits for communities in Ghana.

"The value of these partnerships goes far beyond symbolism," she said.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang noted that the 37 active partnerships have contributed to local government cooperation, agricultural development, capacity building and knowledge exchange.

She said the success of city diplomacy should be judged by the impact it has on people's lives rather than the number of agreements signed.

"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 stressed that strong local government systems are essential to ensuring international partnerships translate into meaningful development.

She linked the effectiveness of the sister-city partnerships to Ghana's decentralisation agenda, saying governance must reach communities, towns and districts where citizens interact directly with government.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the government is strengthening local authorities by increasing resources, including its commitment to channel 80 per cent of District Assemblies Common Fund allocations directly to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.

"Development interventions must respond to the needs of our citizens. They must be informed by evidence, guided by accountability, and measurable," she said.

The Vice President also highlighted Africa's growing global significance, noting that by the middle of the 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 key to promoting sustainable economic development.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further underscored the importance of cultural exchanges, describing people-to-people relationships as the foundation for trust, mutual understanding and peace.

The anniversary celebration brought together city leaders, diplomats, development partners and community representatives from across the world to commemorate 70 years of Sister Cities International.

Source: Classfmonline