The City of Windhoek says it will renew its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on water management with San Antonio, Texas in the United States of America.
The Mayor of San Antonio, Ron Nirenberg, is set to lead a delegation on a five-day visit to Windhoek from 24-28 July 2024, with the signing of the revised MoU as a key highlight.
“During his visit, Mayor Nirenberg and his delegation will tour several key sites and projects in Windhoek, including the internationally acclaimed direct potable reuse plant, the new Goreangab Water Reclamation Plant operated by WINGOC, and the affordable housing project developed jointly by the City of Windhoek and the National Housing Enterprise,” the City of Windhoek says.
Moreover, the existing partnership between the City of Windhoek and the San Antonio Water System has fostered knowledge sharing and cooperation since its inception in 2016.
“Windhoek is the first city in Africa to have signed a sister cities agreement with San Antonio. This visit marks Mayor Nirenberg’s first trip to Windhoek following the inaugural visit by former Mayor of San Antonio, Councillor Ivy Taylor, who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Windhoek-San Antonio relationship,” the City of Windhoek said.
Furthermore, the City of Windhoek emphasised that the relationship between Windhoek and San Antonio extends beyond water management.
Since the signing of the Sister Cities Agreement, the two cities have collaborated on various initiatives, including economic development, renewable energy solutions, staff development programmes and cultural exchange.
The week will culminate with a public lecture delivered by Nirenberg at the Namibia University of Science and Technology.
Titled: “The Sustainability Agenda for Our Cities: What San Antonio is Doing to Address Current and Future Challenges,” the lecture will delve into San Antonio’s efforts towards a sustainable future.