On Monday, 8 September 2025, Mayor Josef Hinkel welcomed Frederick Fausto Faido, Mayor of the Ghanaian port city of Sekondi‑Takoradi, for an official reception in the Jan‑Wellem Hall at Düsseldorf City Hall. The meeting underscored Düsseldorf’s commitment to practical city‑to‑city cooperation and highlighted the growing collaboration with partners in Sub‑Saharan Africa.
The Ghanaian delegation included Alhaji Abu Antuonogwen Mahama, Municipal Director for Development Planning, and Michael Agyei, Head of the Housing Department and Central Administration as well as Chief of Staff to the Mayor. Their participation emphasized a strong technical focus and a readiness for applied collaboration between municipal administrations.
Beyond the ceremonial welcome, the agenda featured expert sessions with the City Planning Office and the Office for Traffic Management. The discussions centered on mobility and integrated urban development, exploring how departments can jointly design resilient, future‑ready mobility solutions and translate lessons learned into scalable approaches for both cities.
The visit took place under the North Rhine‑Westphalia–Ghana state partnership, established in 2007 to promote long‑term cooperation and knowledge exchange. It was timed to the 6th Partnership Conference between municipalities from Germany and Sub‑Saharan Africa in Gießen from 9 to 11 September 2025, aligning the reception with a broader effort to identify new opportunities for joint action toward global sustainable development.
Mayor Frederick Fausto Faido, in office since April 2025, is advancing an agenda that leverages international collaboration to strengthen local development across Sekondi‑Takoradi’s dynamic urban landscape. With leadership continuity on both sides and a shared focus on practical outcomes, the delegation’s program in Düsseldorf signals momentum for projects that connect planning expertise with community needs.
Civil‑society stakeholders in Düsseldorf have established an association to deepen the emerging city partnership with Sekondi‑Takoradi, anchoring cooperation in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring long‑term, participatory engagement across institutions and communities. Priority areas include climate and energy, education and youth, culture, water and waste management, health, sports, and economic cooperation, with the Ghanaian diaspora serving as a vital bridge for language, networks, and local insight.
The reception and expert meetings lay the groundwork for co‑created projects that bring together city departments, universities, and community partners to deliver measurable benefits in mobility and urban planning. As follow‑up activities connect the outcomes of the Gießen conference with on‑the‑ground collaboration, both cities aim to turn shared ambitions into implementable initiatives that advance the 2030 Agenda locally.