Mandaue, Mosul Iraq sign sister-city agreement

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Hello Istoryans,

I post lang ni nako. This news was still last week pero na busy ko karon ra nako ni nabutang. Anyway, I'm just proud of the many many and I mean many developments in Mandaue City and I think this new milestone is a big leap not just for Mandaue City but for the whole Pinas.

Daghan gyud kaayo ang maka take advantage aning nahitaboa. What's your say istoryans?

CEBU, Philippines - Both Mandaue City and Mosul City in Iraq yesterday signed a sister-city pact during a simple ceremony at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes signed the memorandum of agreement on behalf of Mandaue while Governor Athil Abdulazeez Mohammed Alnajafie signed on behalf of Mosul City.

The signing was witnessed by Iraqi Ambassador to the Philippines Wadee Batti Hanna Al-Batti, other members of the Iraqi delegation, councilors Diosdado Suico, Jimmy Lumapas, Beethoven Andaya, and Demetrio Cortes Jr.

The agreement aims to strengthen friendship, understanding, partnership, and cooperation towards technological, socio-cultural, and political and economic progress.

Both parties have also agreed to exchange information and knowledge in various fields such as culture, education, arts, and technology, and engage in activities that would advance the economic, social, technological, cultural and political interests of both parties.

Other highlights of the delegation's three-day visit to the city was business matching yesterday afternoon together with the city's local export industries initiated by the Mandaue City Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (FREEMAN)


From: Mandaue, Mosul sign sister-city agreement - The Freeman » The Freeman Sections » Metro Cebux

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Here's another article:

Iraq opens doors to world, forges ties with Mandaue

By Justin K. Vestil and Rizel S. Adlawan
Friday, December 9, 2011

AFTER nearly a decade of war, Iraq is finally opening its doors to the world, and Cebu is first on its guest list.

As part of its plan to open Iraq to international ties, one of its major cities will sign a sister city agreement with the Mandaue City Government today.

Plan your Sinulog week ahead and find out what's in store for Sinulog 2012.

The signing of the ties between Mosul City and Mandaue City will mark a historic event for the Middle eastern country, as this would be its first ever sister city ties with another country since the Iraq War of 2003 began.

Mosul is a city in northern Iraq and is the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some 400 kilometers northwest of the capital city of Baghdad.

Iraqi government officials led by Iraqi Ambassador to the Philippines Wadee Batti Hanna Al-Batti arrived in Cebu yesterday for the signing of the sister city agreement.

Courtesy call

Al-Batti, Ninawa Gov. Athil Abdulazeez Mohammed Alnajafie and Mosul officials paid a courtesy call to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday.

Along with the signing of a sisterhood agreement with Mandaue City, a memorandum of understanding on the agreement will also be signed today with the Province, said Garcia. The Cebu governor also plans go to Iraq for the signing of a memorandum of agreement.

Al-Batti, in a press conference yesterday, told reporters that the signing of the sister-city agreement between Mandaue City will not only mark the start of a relationship between the Cebu-based city but also to open their country to international ties with other nations.

Al-Batti said the plan to forge a sister-city agreement with Mosul and Mandaue was conceptualized last year when he and Mandaue City officials led by City Mayor Jonas Cortes met during a business forum.

For his part, Governor Atheel Al-Nujaifi of Ninawa said the ties between Mosul and Mandaue will open an exchange of ideas between the two cities through reintroducing cultures and exposing the different management styles of both cities.

Opportunities

Al-Nujaifi added that the ties between Mosul and Mandaue would also open numerous job opportunities for Mandauehanons who wish to work in Iraq, while also opening Iraqi residents on the prospect of visiting Mandaue for leisure.

The Iraqi officials said they will be spending $300 million dollars for the next five years for the re-construction of Iraq’s technology and infrastructure.

While they are optimistic that the sister-city agreement between Mosul and Mandaue will be productive for both cities, the Iraqi officials are still negotiating with the Philippine National Government to finally lifting a travel ban to all Middle East countries.

As a token, Governor Garcia gave the Iraqi officials a seal replica of the Province, a book about Cebu, and DVD copies containing the local tourism program “Suroy-suroy Sugbo” and the dance presentations of internationally known dancing inmates.