October 10, 2003
By Bongani Majola
ETHIOPIA, and Addis Ababa in particular, had been sources of inspiration to many political prisoners in the dark days of apartheid, the Mayor of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo, told an Ethiopian delegation during a formal dinner this week.
The two cities on either end of the continent, Addis Ababa in the north and Johannesburg in the south, have signed an agreement strengthening ties between the two.
During a formal dinner at the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council to celebrate the historic event, Masondo told the mayor of Addis Ababa, Ato Arkebe Oqubay, how he had occupied a prison cell called Addis Ababa during the struggle for liberation.
Oqubay responded by saying he would cherish the memory of his stay in Johannesburg, "especially in Soweto". The councillor responsible for finance and economic development, Genet Abera, Addis Ababa city manager, Tesfamichael Nahusenay, and a distinguished delegation of senior managers accompanied Oqubay.
"The spirit of June 16 still lives on in me, after visiting the Hector Petersen Memorial Museum yesterday," he said, "and I wish Johannesburg and its leaders all the best in improving the lives of its citizens."
"Although short," said Oqubay, "our stay in Johannesburg, if measured in terms of purpose, quality and effectiveness, has been very insightful and gratifying." The Ethiopian delegation arrived for their week-long visit last Sunday, 5 October.
He added: "It is the beginning of a series of encounters that both cities will be engaged in during the years ahead in the areas of mutual concerns."
Given the desire and commitment on both sides, said Oqubay, "the relationship between Johannesburg, the economic powerhouse of Africa, and Addis Ababa, the diplomatic capital of Africa and the seat of the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa, will definitely become an exemplary African twin city model worth replicating".
In a jovial mood indicative of the rapport that had developed, members of both delegations compared notes, including the observation by the programme director and Speaker of the City of Johannesburg Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, that "both cities have very short city managers".
Like Johannesburg, said Masondo, Addis Ababa was over 100 years old. "The capital of modern Ethiopia, Addis Ababa is a gateway for tourists, the political, diplomatic and commercial heart of Ethiopia, with a population of about four million people," he said.
"It is a big, sprawling and hospitable city with contradictions similar to ours," added Masondo. "Modern buildings and wide-open boulevards stand side by side with historic churches, palaces and monuments, as well as simple country-style huts. In Johannesburg also, skyscrapers are juxtaposed with townships and informal settlements."
The interaction between the two cities was meant to promote social and economic development, good governance, and to monitor cooperative relations mutually beneficial to communities of both cities. "The partnership will also address strategic priorities and the needs of the peoples of Addis Ababa and Johannesburg," said Masondo.
The visit by the Ethiopian delegation also further created a platform for the implementation of the relationship of both cities within the framework and context of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, Masondo added.
Masondo and Oqubay then signed the Memorandum of Understanding to "serve as a foundation for the implementation of the cooperation and a lasting partnership".
"Let the signing ceremony be the clarion call to practical and pragmatic mutual cooperation and learnership between the two cities," Masondo called.
"It is absolutely important that we focus on poverty reduction, fighting HIV/Aids, good governance, service delivery excellence and developing a vibrant economy and private sector as well as strong environmental protection," Oqubay responded.
The City of Johannesburg already has agreements with the City of Birmingham in the UK and New York City in the US.
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