MONROVIA, June 15 (LINA) – The Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) has received a high-power delegation from the Mayor of Houston City, Texas, the United States of America, as part of efforts to foster sisterly relationship between the two cities.
Addressing a press conference at the MCC’ head office in Monrovia on Monday, the Head of the delegation and the President of the Houston International Trade Development Council, Val Thompson, said the sisterly city engagement will help strengthen partnership in terms of development and other engagements.
« We have come to assess the City of Monrovia and have a conversation with you, Mayor (Jefferson) Koijee,” said Thompson.
According to him, the purpose of the visit is to improve social, economic, academic and community programs, adding, “We will work closely with you to ensure that through the partnership we will be able to bring the African-American goodwill to the great city.
He also cited that the intent of the sisterly city partnership is to generate the improvement of cities.
Thompson said the relationship will enable the two cities to understand the need for Waste Management and also give financial support to the city of Monrovia.,
“This,” he said, “is just the beginning.”
In a communication read on behalf of Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston City, Thompson noted that the Mayor realizes the role descendants of Africa played in his city, especially when it comes to revenue generation and cultural exchanges.
He stated the urgent need to create sisterly city relationship with Monrovia due to many similarities, including sea port, great workforce and opportunities beyond expectations.
Thompson emphasized that the Mayor looks forward to exploring the various ways “our two cities can collaborate in enhancing economic and cultural development.”
Meanwhile, the Mayor of the City of Monrovia, Jefferson T. Koijee, has expressed delight over the visit of the US delegation to Liberia.
Koijee said, « With the numerous challenges that the City of Monrovia is faced with, we believe that when we begin to cultivate this relationship between the two cities, trade and investment will be at an increase.”
According to him, the US delegation came at the time when he and other officials of government just returned from the US where they met several stakeholders of various municipalities in an effort to create the ambiance for working together.
« City diplomacy and cooperation remain cardinal for continuous growth and development of different cities and we too look forward to that,” said Mayor Koijee.
“We are hopeful that the relationship will explore more opportunities for all sides as we jump-start ours with the presentation of land to be developed by them either through agriculture,” he disclosed.
He then assured that Monrovia and Houston cities will continue this relationship even if he is not a Mayor, adding that the relationship is expected to create opportunities for both sides.
Houston is the largest metropolis in Texas, extending to Galveston Bay. It’s closely linked with Space Center Houston, the coastal visitor center at NASA’s astronaut training and flight control complex.
Houston is the most populous city in the U.S State of Texas and the fourth populous city in the USA and the most populous city in Southern United States as well as the sixth most populous in North America with an estimated population of 2.31 million.
