FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2010
SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL SELECTS 17 U.S. CITIES TO LEAD
INFRASTRUCTURE-BUILDING PROJECTS IN AFRICA
Projects to address sanitation, health, and water issues in urban areas
WASHINGTON, DC — Sister Cities International announces today that 17 U.S. cities and their African counterparts were selected to develop projects to address sanitation, health, and water issues in urban areas of Africa. The new selection brings the total to 24 U.S.-African city pairs participating in the Africa Urban Poverty Alleviation Program (AUPAP), a three-year project funded by a $7.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
"This Sister Cities International program represents a major effort to address the fundamental needs of citizens of urban areas in Africa," said Patrick Madden, President and CEO, Sister Cities International. "As we’ve seen during the first year, U.S. communities are eager to roll up their sleeves, identify areas of need, develop cooperative solutions and get to work. I’m very confident these 24 city projects will have an immediate impact on urban poverty and leave an enduring legacy."
The 17 cities were part of a competitive proposal process and selected by an independent panel of experts in the areas of city-to-city assistance, and international development. Each city pairing will have a budget of up to $115,000 to apply to their projects, in addition to travel funds. The recipients also include:
Baltimore, Maryland, and Luxor, Egypt
Chicago, Illinois, and Casablanca, Morocco
Delray Beach, Florida, and Moshi, Tanzania
Durham, North Carolina, and Arusha, Tanzania
Jacksonville, Florida, and Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Long Beach, California, and Mombasa, Kenya
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, and Buffalo City, South Africa
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and uMhlathuze, South Africa
Oakland, California, and Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana
Richmond, Virginia, and Segou, Mali
Riverside, California, and Obuasi, Ghana
Seattle, Washington, and Mombasa, Kenya
Sonoma, California, and Aswan, Egypt
St. Louis, Missouri, and St. Louis, Senegal
Toledo, Ohio, and Tanga, Tanzania
Urbana, Illinois, and Zomba, Malawi
Wilmington, Delaware, and Osogbo, Nigeria
AUPAP, administered in cooperation with the Africa Global Sister Cities Foundation, is designed to address urban poverty through water, health, and sanitation projects developed collaboratively by U.S. and African sister city programs. This includes involvement and support from the private sector, NGOs, community-based organizations, municipal governments and traditional leaders in Africa to provide sustained technical assistance and community development strategies.
Beyond improving the state of sanitation, health, and water infrastructures in urban areas of Africa, this project is aimed at accomplishing Sister Cities International's mission of promoting peace and prosperity through international people-to-people collaboration.
Visit http://www.sister-cities.org/africa to learn more about the Africa Urban Poverty Alleviation Program.
MEDIA CONTACT: Frances Reimers, (202) 347-8630x8251 or at freimers@sister-cities.org.
ABOUT SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL
Sister Cities International promotes peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation by focusing exchanges and public programs on sustainable and economic development, youth and education, arts and culture, and humanitarian assistance. More information about Sister Cities International can be found at www.sister-cities.org. Facebook: Sister Cities International; Twitter: SisterCityIntl
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