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Harare City has active bilateral relations with three global cities, Nottingham (UK), Cincinnati (Ohio, United States), and Munich (German).
Through the relationship with Munich – Harare is now into a tripartite arrangement with e-Thekwini (South Africa).
Several other twinning arrangements are lying dormant and in need of resuscitation. These include relationships with Sacramento (USA), Winnipeg (Canada), Cairo (Egypt), Columbus (USA), Lilongwe (Malawi), and Maputo (Mozambique).
Others are at various stages of finalisation and these include Lusaka (Zambia), Guangzhou (China), Chenon (South Korea), Havana (Cuba), Moscow (Russia), Dakar (Senegal) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).
Public, International Affairs and Protocol Section says in addition to the sister relations between the cities, residents of the cities have also formed their own associations to further the relations.
Harare and Munich have held exchange programmes that have seen councillors and staff from the two cities paying reciprocal visits to learn and exchange best practices.
The City of Munich has in the past assisted Harare with medical supplies while businessmen from Munich donated a generator to power the Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital.
A two member team of IT experts have also been seconded to Harare to assist in setting up ICT and internet connectivity.
Twinning arrangements bring benefits to parties involved such as a boost in tourism, exchange of information and expertise in urban planning, architecture, municipal improvements, transport, communications and urban governance and culture.
Partnering cities usually do staff exchanges where each city benefits from the other’s comparative advantages.
A group of Zimbabwean doctors is expected to be attached to the Cincinnati University College to learn more about paediatrics.
Cultural exchanges also form part of the relations. Last year a delegation from Harare visited Chenon (South Korea) on a cultural exchange programme that involved college students and senior staffers from the city.