At the invitation of Sister Cities International, Ghana’s Vice President, H.E. Professor Naana Jane Opoku‑Agyemang, led a high‑level delegation to the United States to participate in the organisation’s 70th Anniversary Homecoming Conference, held from 22–25 July 2026.
Accompanying the Vice President were Hon. James Gyakye Quayson, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs; Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; H.E. Victor Emmanuel Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States; and other senior government officials.
The conference brought together government leaders, mayors, diplomats, development partners, academia, business executives, and civil society representatives to examine the growing role of city diplomacy in advancing international cooperation, sustainable development, economic growth, and people‑to‑people relations.
Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony, Vice President Opoku‑Agyemang reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships through city diplomacy. She highlighted the potential of sister‑city relations to promote trade and investment, tourism, innovation, technology transfer, educational exchange, climate resilience, and sustainable urban development.
The Ghanaian delegation also participated in the Africa Regional Forum, the Presidential Luncheon, the Mayors’ Matchmaking Session, and engagements with Sister Cities International officials. In addition, the Vice President met with the Ghanaian community at the Ambassador’s Residence and joined visits to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Eisenhower Memorial Center.
Founded in 1956, Sister Cities International promotes peace, mutual understanding, and international cooperation through citizen and city‑to‑city diplomacy. The 70th Anniversary Conference commemorated seven decades of municipal cooperation and provided a platform for practical partnerships in education, culture, public health, digital transformation, and climate action.
Ghana’s participation was consistent with government’s foreign policy objectives of promoting economic diplomacy, decentralisation, multilateral cooperation, diaspora engagement, and inclusive national development.
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