Paris and Brazzaville, united by a friendship pact

Paris and Brazzaville have decided to strengthen and deepen their cooperation ties through a friendship and cooperation pact or agreement.

The document was jointly signed on the 4 September 2015 at the Town Hall between Anne Hidalgo and Hugues Ngouélondélé, respectively Mayors of the capitals of France and of Congo. Among the privileged areas of this bilateral cooperation are environmental management, health and education. To better implement this cooperation, Paris and Brazzaville have committed themselves to encouraging the sharing of information and expertise. This cooperation could be extended to all decentralized cooperation projects involving bilateral institutional partners other than the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), the European Commission, decentralized international cooperation agencies, multilateral bodies and local associations the choice of which would be made with the agreement of local authorities.

Acknowledging that Paris and Brazzaville enjoy close friendship ties, Anne Hidalgo said she was happy to be in the Congolese capital. She holds that working together is an opportunity to share experiences. On the Francophone Women’s Forum slated for next October in Brazzaville, Anne Hidalgo said she is working towards the recognition of their role in local authorities. On this note, she specified that this did not mean that men do not have a future. On the contrary, she said, they have a future together with women, notably in political, associative and local life.

Alexis NGOLO