News / Local
Bulawayo considers twinning with Chinese city
09 Jun 2014 at 01:37hrs | Views
BULAWAYO City Council is exploring opportunities of twinning with Chinese city, Jinan, but deputy mayor Gift Banda has cautioned against the move "just for the sake of twinning" saying council should focus only on those cities with potential to benefit Bulawayo.
Banda said there was need to review previous arrangements.
According to the latest council agenda debated last week, town clerk Middleton Nyoni said the deputy chief secretary to the president and Cabinet Ray Ndhlukula gave the local authority documents (brochures/video) from Jinan City which had no twin city relations with cities in Zimbabwe.
The Chinese city is said to be "desirous of forging twin city relations with the City of Bulawayo".
Jinan city is said to have a population of about 6,95 million, industry value of 135,74 million yuan ($22 017 200).
Jinan City had established cultural relations with many countries such as Britain, United States, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
"In view of this, Bulawayo might wish to exploit benefits from this proposal and consider twinning with Jinan City as outlined in the report," reads part of the council report.
Council signed a statement of intent with the Chinese City of Siping in March 2013 in Victoria Falls with the aim of working towards some twinning friendship with that city.
However, a planned subsequent exchange visit to Siping by council officials to cement the twinning arrangement failed due to the general elections of 2013. During the debate, Banda warned council of merely signing arrangements which are of no benefit to the city.
"The deputy mayor, however, cautioned against twinning just for the sake of twinning. Council should focus only on those cities with potential benefits for Bulawayo. There was need to revisit these relationships in that light," reads the report.
Banda, however, urged the revival of twinning arrangements with cities in Britain as they had a historical understanding with benefit to Bulawayo.
The report said the twinning benefits with the South African cities of Durban and Polokwane were visible with the former having assisted Bulawayo with the water master plan, among other projects.
Banda said there was need to review previous arrangements.
According to the latest council agenda debated last week, town clerk Middleton Nyoni said the deputy chief secretary to the president and Cabinet Ray Ndhlukula gave the local authority documents (brochures/video) from Jinan City which had no twin city relations with cities in Zimbabwe.
The Chinese city is said to be "desirous of forging twin city relations with the City of Bulawayo".
Jinan city is said to have a population of about 6,95 million, industry value of 135,74 million yuan ($22 017 200).
Jinan City had established cultural relations with many countries such as Britain, United States, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
"In view of this, Bulawayo might wish to exploit benefits from this proposal and consider twinning with Jinan City as outlined in the report," reads part of the council report.
Council signed a statement of intent with the Chinese City of Siping in March 2013 in Victoria Falls with the aim of working towards some twinning friendship with that city.
However, a planned subsequent exchange visit to Siping by council officials to cement the twinning arrangement failed due to the general elections of 2013. During the debate, Banda warned council of merely signing arrangements which are of no benefit to the city.
"The deputy mayor, however, cautioned against twinning just for the sake of twinning. Council should focus only on those cities with potential benefits for Bulawayo. There was need to revisit these relationships in that light," reads the report.
Banda, however, urged the revival of twinning arrangements with cities in Britain as they had a historical understanding with benefit to Bulawayo.
The report said the twinning benefits with the South African cities of Durban and Polokwane were visible with the former having assisted Bulawayo with the water master plan, among other projects.
Source - Southern Eye
