April 30 - City of Newark Signs Sister Agreement with African City CITY OF NEWARK SIGNS SISTER-CITY AGREEMENT
WITH AFRICAN CITY OF ABOMEY-CALAVI
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Newark Mayor Booker and Abomey-Calavi Mayor Guede Will link Benin city with Brick City in trade and cultural agreements;
Newark, NJ – April 30, 2010 – Mayor Cory A. Booker, Municipal Council Vice President Luis A. Quintana, members of the City of
Newark’s African Commission, and Patrice Hounsou Guede, Mayor of Abomey-Calavi, in the Republic of Benin, signed a Sister-City
Agreement between Newark and Abomey-Calavi, in the Municipal Council Chamber, in City Hall, yesterday.
“This Sister-City agreement between Newark and Abomey-Calavi will strengthen the great ties between the African Diaspora of our
City and the African continent,” Mayor Booker said. “We will unite these two great communities, and the two cities will be able to share
in their excellence. I thank our Council Vice President Quintana for his continued leadership as Chair of the Sister-City Committee and
congratulate the African Commission on developing this important relationship with the Republic of Benin.”
“Our Sister-City relationships are so important as our City continues to be recognized as a global destination. I thank the members of
the African Commission for helping our Sister-City Committee expand its outreach to our brothers and sisters of the City of Abomey-
Calavi in the Republic of Benin,” said Council Vice President Quintana.
The City of Newark is home to thousands of immigrants from the Republic of Benin, West Africa who left their native land in search of
better economic conditions. The Sister-City Agreement will open cultural and trade exchanges between the two cities, and help unite
the African communities of Benin and the African Diaspora of Newark.
“It is an honor to be here today in the great City of Newark. I am so impressed by the warm reception I received by the African
Commission and the municipal employees. I look forward to welcoming Mayor Booker and Councilman Quintana when they visit their
Sister City in the Republic of Benin, along with their Newark delegation, with open arms,” said Mayor Hounsou Guede.
The Commission, which was created as part of the Mayor’s Office on August 1, 2007, promotes policies and awareness of issues
concerning the cultural, social, economic, political, educational, health and general well being of Africans and African-Americans in
Newark. The commission encourages an understanding of contemporary African and African American policy issues and promotes
awareness and recognition of the African Culture and civilization.
“The Sister-City program between these two cities will bring Newark and Abomey-Calavi closer together in terms of cultural exchange
and business development,” said African Commission President Dosso Kassimou. “We are working to bridge the gap among
communities and this is an excellent way to achieve this objective. I thank Mayor Booker and the Municipal Council for establishing the
African Commission as a direct outreach to the African population of Newark.”
The African Commission also studies, develops, and recommends to the Mayor such policies, programs, and activities that help to
promote the African and African-American life and to collaborate with and assists other civic and private groups in organizing and
sponsoring programs and events aimed at promoting African and African-American cultural awareness and contemporary policy
considerations. In addition, the Commission works with international, Federal, State and Municipal agencies to promote issues
concerning its programs and activities.
“Today was a historic event not only for the City of Abomey-Calavi and all African people, but for the entire population of the City of
Newark,” said Master of Ceremonies Sekou Fofana, who also serves as Co-Chair of the Cultural Committee for the African
Commission. “As a member of the African Commission, I am proud that we can all come together for a united cause. This shows that
together, we can accomplish anything.” Click here for images of the event.
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