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TWINNING: Building Bridges and PartnershipsIncreasing numbers of African mayors have embraced the AMICAALL strategy - an approach which includes the concept of "twinning"- a formal collaboration between two organizations which involves a two-way exchange for mutual benefit. In addition to the more familiar notion of city-to-city twinning, AMICAALL supports pairings between NGOs, community-based organizations, and the private sector. Some innovative examples of such pairings are described below. What are the specific benefits of twinning in an AMICAALL programme? The benefits usually fall into these categories: cultural, technical and financial. Being exposed to other cultures-ways of thinking, living and interacting can be stimulating and enriching. Visits and exchanges facilitated through twinning can promote this kind of experience. Technical benefits encompass information exchange and assistance in a specific area. For example, an organization assisting a local municipality to establish a much needed information technology system Finally, twinning may make possible transfer of resources-either financial, human or material. What
are the necessary conditions for effective twinning?
What are some of the characteristics of successful twinning programmes?
What are some examples AMICAALL twinning? Telluride AIDS Benefit (TAB), Colorado, USA/City of Manzini, Swaziland. TAB has made a long term commitment to provide funding through the Manzini City Council for community based projects (food support, school fees for orphans, sanitation facilities, home based care). TAB is also mobilizing other groups and communities in the USA to create similar partnerships with other communities in Africa. PricewaterhouseCoopers/AMICAALL Swaziland Programme-PwC, a multi-national accounting and consulting firm, made available three senior staff members to provide in-country technical assistance to develop financial and management systems for community-funding mechanisms. City of Windhoek and Government of Namibia / Alliance Secretariat -The City of Windhoek has provided office space and the Government of Namibia is funding support staff for three years for the Alliance Secretariat. This partnering, along with UN-AMICAALL Partnership Programme support, has enabled the Alliance Secretariat to begin functioning in November 2001. How to find a partner? The Alliance Secretariat is establishing a database of municipalities and other interested organizations and potential partners in order to facilitate the process of twinning. For additional information about twinning opportunities, please contact: Alliance
of Mayors Secretariat or UN-AMICAALL
Partnership Programme
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