Thomas Westphal and Samuel Pyne with the signed agreement
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and the City of Dortmund have signed a sister city agreement to collaborate on various initiatives and projects at a ceremony in Germany.
The initiatives and projects include cultural exchange programmes, educational cooperation, equality, job creation, and climate adaption.
The Mayor of Kumasi, Samuel Pyne, who headed a three-member delegation from Kumasi, signed on behalf of the Assembly, while Mayor Thomas Westphal signed on behalf of the City of Dortmund.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, Gina Ama Blay, joined the KMA delegation for the occasion.
Mrs. Blay was accompanied to the programme by Amanda Osafo Kantanka Yeboah, First Secretary of the Political and Diaspora Affairs at the Berlin Mission.
Mayor Thomas Westphal hosted the occasion, which also saw the various delegation chiefs sign the Golden Book of Dortmund.
This symbolic gesture further cemented the commitment to building a strong and long-term relationship between Kumasi and Dortmund.
Mayor Thomas Westphal, in a welcome address, highlighted the foundation of mutual respect, shared values, and common goals between Dortmund and Kumasi.
He expressed his delight at the opportunity to host such a significant event and emphasised the City of Dortmund’s dedication to the shared vision of progress, innovation, and sustainable community development.
According to him, this will be done through international cooperation, climate adaptation, youth employment, cultural exchange, gender equality, and economic collaboration.
He praised Ambassador Gina Ama Blay, the Kumasi delegation, and stakeholders for their contributions to the event’s success, expressing hope for many years of fruitful collaboration and great outcomes for both cities.
Mrs. Blay also expressed gratitude for the invitation to join in celebrating Kumasi and Dortmund’s partnership.
She noted that the occasion marked a new chapter in the two cities’ relationship, which is based on mutual respect, cooperation, and common values.
​ Mrs. Blay emphasised the symbolic significance of signing into the Golden Book of Dortmund, stating that it reflected the deepening of friendship and a commitment to working together for the good of both cities.
She noted that in spite of the geographical separation between the two cities, the partnership aims at bridging the gap and forging enduring bonds of friendship.
She emphasised that the signing of the sister city partnership agreement is more than just a written agreement; it is an affirmation of the exchange of ideas, cultures, and best practices, which is expected to result in significant development, including both economic opportunities and people-to-people contact.
The KMA boss, Samuel Pyne, expressed the hope that the event would mark the beginning of enduring partnership which will inure to the benefit of the two parties.
​He underscored the two cities’ shared vision of sustainable development, economic prosperity, and community enrichment.
He emphasised the significance of inclusivity and community involvement, specifically mentioning the ‘She for Democracy’ project, which is part of the sister city relationship between Dortmund and Kumasi.
The initiative aims to remove barriers that prevent women from managing and co-creating local solutions, hence increasing women’s participation in the local governance system.
By Ernest Kofi Adu