Dubai, Detroit ink sister-city accord

posted on 30/09/2003: 1367 views

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Arab-American leaders shared similar hopes of using economic ties to bridge differences as the US-Arab Economic Forum opened in Detroit. "Our challenge is build the strength of our individual voices into an outstanding chorus of diversity,” Granholm said Sunday during a gala dinner to kick of the start of the conference. Detroit, with an estimated 300,000 Arab-Americans, is home to one of the nation's largest concentrations of people with roots in the Middle East. Before the dinner, Detroit Mayor Kwami Kilpatrick and his counterpart from Dubai, signed a sister-city agreement, pledging to work together on economic opportunities.



"Dubai is a gateway city and Dubai has overcome significant challenges already,” Kilpatrick said. "Dubai is on the move.” Qassim Sultan, Dubai Municipality's Director General is among Arab leaders from Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and elsewhere expected to attend the conference, along with top executives of Fortune 500 companies Secretary of State Colin Powell and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. Sultan said Dubai planned next year to host a summit that would include representatives from each of Dubai's seven sister-cities worldwide. (The Associated Press, AP)

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