A delegation from the City held a successful engagement with the Deputy Mayor of International Affairs for the City of Los Angeles Erin Bromaghim. The meeting aimed to stregthen diplomatic relations and enhance trade, investment and cooperation in various social and economic development areas.

A DELEGATION from eThekwini Municipality held a successful high-level strategic engagement with the Deputy Mayor of International Affairs for the City of Los
Angeles Erin Bromaghim. The engagement aimed to strengthen diplomatic relations to enhance trade, investment and cooperation in various social and economic development areas. Durban has an existing Sister-City Memorandum of Understanding with Los Angeles in the United States of America (USA). Discussions during the engagement centred around opportunities for collaboration between the two cities in various sectors including the environment, health, sports, human settlement, maritime, education, innovation and technology. 

During the meeting, which took place at the Los Angeles City Hall, the Deputy Mayor said they have been focusing on deepening ties with key markets and South Africa is the USA’s largest trading partner. She further expressed commitment to strengthening diplomatic relations between Los Angeles and the City of Durban. She added that there was a lot of cooperation that could be harnessed focusing on the model of AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles which is something that can be cloned or reproduced in the Port of Durban. Chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee Councillor Thembo Ntuli said the City has over
the years maintained good relations with the USA’s diplomatic office both through the Consul-General in Durban, and directly with the office of the Ambassador in Pretoria.

EThekwini City Manager Musa Mbhele extended an invitation for the Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles to attend the reSURGEnce Conference taking place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre from 17 to 21 July 2024. “We appreciate your commitment to share about the reSURGEnce Conference with some Los Angeles based enterprises as we are considering having a hybrid conference. Since it’s the inaugural conference, we want to make it even bigger
going forward,” said Mbhele. The engagements with the Office of the Mayor in the City of Los Angeles and destination promotion activations in the USA form part of the City’s aggressive drive to attract international investors to the reSURGEnce Conference. Exhibition stands at the conference are sold out, but the public can still attend the event.