Promoting Effective Sub-Regional Co-Operation: KMA's Sister-City

Relationship Approach.

A GNA Feature By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah

Kumasi, June 30, GNA - African countries have since the attainment of independence tried to come together to form a formidable union that would help promote unity among them and speed up their socio-economic development and growth.

They have also tried in various ways to integrate their people to promote regional trade and investment as well as brotherliness. On Sub-Regional levels, various economic, trade and political blocks have been formed with the view to promoting unity, trade and free movement among peoples in the states forming the block.

In West Africa, for example, the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) has been formed to bring the 16 members states together to promote trade, investment and political stability on the Sub-Region.

One of the agreements in the ECOWAS protocol is the removal of all bottlenecks and barriers that impede sub-regional integration, trade and investment.

ECOWAS has in recent times also involved itself in the resolution of political conflicts that had engulfed some member states. The civil wars in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and recently Cote d'Ivoire have engaged the attention of Leaders of the Organisation in recent times.

Though there had been a significant achievement in solving these conflicts, a lot still has to be done, since there had been clashes among the warring factions resulting in tension and uncertainty in these countries.

The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), which was launched recently by African Leaders, is a further step by African countries to integrate their people and economies to achieve accelerated development and growth.

The appointment of Ministers of Regional Integration and NEPAD by some African countries demonstrates their resolve and commitment to ensure that the people of Africa are more united to promote trade among themselves and speed up their economic development.

With all these efforts, however, African countries continue to be far apart from each other in terms of trade, commerce and investment. Lack of free movement of goods and services as well as the cumbersome immigration and customs procedures at various entry points of African countries demonstrate how fragile it is to integrate African economies.

Political instability and lack of trust among neighbouring state governments, especially in the West African Sub-Region, have further worsened the problems of integration.

All these and other external influences have jeopardised the desire of the people to unite and work together to ensure accelerated socio-economic development of the Sub-Region.

It is in the light of this that the new approach by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), to foster closer collaboration between neighbouring countries through the sister-city twining programme should be lauded.

The KMA, the GNA has learnt, has in recent years tried to establish sister-city relationships with the cities of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and Treichville in Cote d'Ivoire.

The aim is to promote trade and investment in the cities and also create a platform for effective communication between the people of the cities.

It is also to bring the people together in order to promote brotherliness to enhance socio-economic development. It must be emphasised that the people of Cote d Ivoire and Ghana are, traditionally, brothers.

Most people in Cote d'Ivoire trace their roots to Ghana, especially to the Asante Kingdom with most of them claiming to be descendants of the Golden Stool.

It is no wonder that some people in Cote d'Ivoire, especially those from the South have similar culture, traditions and historical background to those of the Akans in Ghana.

Language is the only barrier that separates the people of these two countries.

Treichville, for instance, has a community called Koumassi. It also has the largest concentration of Ghanaians resident in Cote d'Ivoire. Businessmen and Businesswomen from Kumasi and other parts of the country commute everyday to Abidjan and Ouagadougou to transact various types of business.

There are also large concentrations of Burkinabes residents in Kumasi and other parts of the country. Some of them have married Ghanaians and have children with them.

The establishment of the sister-city relationship between Kumasi and these immediate neighbouring cities would not only strengthen the cordial relationships that exist between the two countries but would also concretise the bond of brotherliness among the people and help reduce some of the negative perceptions and mistrusts that had often characterised the relationship between Ghana and her neighbours. The people of Cote d'Ivoire now regard Ghanaians as true brothers following the strenuous efforts by President John Agyekum Kufuor to restore peace in that country.

The sister-city relationship should be seen as a deliberate attempt to bring the people together and serve as a symbol of perpetual relationships between the people of Ghana and her immediate neighbours. As indicated by Mr Maxwel Kofi Jumah, KMA Chief Executive at the launch of the Ivoirean-Ghanaian week celebration at the national theatre in Abidjan, faith had it that the two brotherly countries should come closer now than ever to promote the well -being of their people. The warm and enthusiastic reception accorded the KMA delegation to Treichville, was a clear indication that, the people of Cote d'Ivoire were ready to collaborate with Ghana to integrate to move forward. There are a lot of socio-economic benefits that the two cities stand to benefit from the relationship.

The KMA initiative should be supported by all and even encourage other metropolitan and district assemblies to also foster relationships with other neighbouring cities.

The visit by the KMA delegation to Treichville, the GNA has found out, has boosted the morale of Ghanaian residents and raised their image among the people of Cote d'Ivoire who had often been harassing them Assurances from government officials to protect Ghanaian citizens there is also a step further to boost the relationship.