2023 SCI Africa Summit Cape Town, South Africa

The 2023 Sister Cities International Africa Summit, the first of its kind, was designed to strengthen and increase the number of US-Africa sister cities within the SCI network.

About SCI Africa Summit

The Sister Cities International (SCI) had its first African Regional Summit from February 20-24, 2023, in Cape Town, South Africa. The first of its kind, the purpose of that gathering was to strengthen and increase the number of US-Africa sister cities within the SCI network. The strategic focus was designed to have the Summit in the Republic of South Africa, where all provinces had great growth potential between US and South African cities. Cape Town’s sister city, Miami-Dade County, Florida which had a robust relationship that focused on economic development.

The Summit provided a week-long series of engagements and activities that supported best practice learning, training on becoming sister cities, networking, developing business opportunities, and creating tourism opportunities for the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape, and the rest of South Africa.

With 450 participants from the United States, South Africa, and the rest of the African continent, that engagement served as the first opportunity in SCI’s 67-year history to focus strategically in an international forum on the continent of Africa.

Conference Key Areas

Strengthening Existing US-Africa Sister Cities

The Summit provides many examples of best practices throughout the African Region that US-Africa sister cities can use to support and expand their current programs. Opportunities to meet other SCI members and partners are available to assist in your growth!

Support for the Development of New US-Africa Sister City

Support for the development of new, dormant, and expanded US-Africa sister cities relationships. The SCI Africa Region and other partner organizations are looking to increase US-Africa sister cities to 500 total partnerships within five (5) years. This initiative has been entitled Africa 500 and will be formally launched at the SCI Africa Summit.

Service to the Western Cape and South Africa

Service to the Western Cape and South Africa. American participants will be highly encouraged to bring requested items from local partners throughout South Africa that will be shared amongst 20 plus organizations throughout the country.