Aachen-Cape Town city-to-city partnership
The City's partnership with Aachen, in Germany, has led to projects that benefit communities in both cities.About
The Aachen-Cape Town partnership was originally rooted in the principles of the United Nations Local Agenda 21 sustainable development action plan, and is now founded on the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda 30, ratified in 2015.
The collaboration dates back to 1998, when Welthaus, an Aachen-based association of organisations and initiatives in the fields of environmental and development policy, partnered with the Khayelitsha Education Resource and Information Centre. The next year, the city-to-city partnership became official with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA), which has since been re-signed every five years.
As a result of involvement in partnership projects, more than 900 people have travelled between the two cities, including students, representatives from civil society organisations, schools, sports and community groups, city officials and political leaders.
Successful initiatives
The Aachen-Cape Town partnership is coordinated by the Environmental Management Department, with participation from several other departments. Our International Relations team also plays an important role in aligning city mandates and protocol with Aachen.
Successful initiatives in Cape Town that have links to the partnership include:
- Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading
- Guga S’Thebe Arts and Cultural Centre
- Support for penguin conservation by the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds
- European internships through the ASA-GLEN Programme (Global Education Network of Young Europeans) and
- Retrofitting of solar water heaters in residential units at Kuyasa, Khayelitsha.
The current MOA (signed in 2017) identifies priority areas, including:
- promoting the green economy;
- ecological development within urban areas;
- good governance via public participation;
- the reduction of waste;
- renewable-energy initiatives that address climate change;
- the development of urban green spaces;
- traffic and transportation planning;
- educational initiatives on sustainable development; and
- sharing knowledge on issues such as youth sports and culture, school partnerships and exchange programmes.
Cape Town-Aachen Mayor's portfolio
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Aachen-Cape Town LA21 partnership, the joint Cape Town-Aachen Mayor’s Portfolio of Urban Sustainability publication showcases initiatives and projects that have been realised through partnerships in both cities.
Each of the 22 projects showcased closely align with one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Aachen
Aachen is the westernmost city in Germany, close to the borders with Belgium and the Netherlands. It is approximately half the size of Cape Town, with a population of about 250 000. It is renowned for its history – which dates back to Roman times – and the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH), a leading German university specialising in mechanical engineering as well as automotive and manufacturing technologies.
Contact us
Lorraine Gerrans
Head: Sustainable Partnerships and Financing, Environmental Management Department
Telephone:
Email:
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