|
|
NEWS
Black Mayors link programs with Burkina
Faso; Mayor Norwood calls it "meaningful exchange"
|
Special to USAfrica The Newspaper USAfricaonline.com In keeping with their goal of reaching out to the
international community of Africans, the National Conference
of Black Mayors (NCBM) in the U.S is joining forces with the
Mayors from Burkina Faso (West Africa) for shared interests
and developmental goals. The President of the Black Mayors,
Jesse Norwood, mayor of Prichard, Alabama expressed his joy
that "We are honored to be in this relationship with our
brothers and sisters from Africa, and I am sure that this
will be the beginning of a meaningful exchange of people,
products and ideas." The Black Mayors met early August in the capital city of Ouagadougou, where Mayor Simon Compaore heads the more than forty member Mayors Association of Burkina Faso, to sign an official memorandum of agreement declaring a commitment to work together. According to a statement sent to USAfricaonline.com and USAfrica The Newspaper by the communications advisers to the Black Mayors, Bunnie J. Clayton and Roselyn Dailey, some of the major goals of the new effort include sharing "common objectives and to promote and enhance cultural, educational, economic and social activities among their members, their cities and the countries." |
Among other things, the mayors have agreed to develop partnerships between their municipalities in order to strengthen economic and community development. These partnerships will be instrumental in creating opportunities for members of each association to experience and explore the other's history, culture, government and politics. They agreed to engage in the "twinning" of cities between
countries and to develop mechanisms whereby each respective
community can learn, work and solve problems together
through reciprocal cultural, educational, business, and
technical exchange programs. NCBM is a twenty-five year old
organization with a membership of over 460 African-American
mayors who represent cities ranging in population from 100
to over two million. While in Burkina Faso, the NCBM
delegation met with the head of state, Blaise Compaore, and
other high-ranking officials. This is a significant
development for business interests and tourism potentials
for continental Africans and African-Americans.
USAfricaonline and USAfrica The Newspaper will report
additional developments on this emerging grassroots efforts
by Mayors in the two continents. |
|
|