International Relations Policy Statement
Christchurch City Council
December 2005
Principles
1. Christchurch City’s international relationships will contribute to achieving the City’s Community Outcomes and the Council’s Strategic Directions. Particular emphasis will be given to the following Outcomes:
● A Prosperous City - International investment, best practice, and technology and long term educational opportunity can be leveraged through well founded, formalised relationships.
● A City of Inclusive and Diverse Communities - Our international connections will bring cultural performing groups to the city, generate opportunity to learn about cultures, share cultural experiences and assist local people to understand the diverse needs of the various groups both visiting and living in our community.
● A City of Lifelong Learning - Internationalisation will bring opportunity for best practice learning and international education exchange.
2. The City will pursue a range of relationships to ensure opportunities are maximised. Five different types of relationships have been identified that allow for different outcomes, management processes, resource commitments, and review processes, and help clarify expectations.
3. Any relationships Christchurch enters into will be well researched to ensure there is:
● A fit with the Community Outcomes, Council’s Strategic Directions, CREDS (Canterbury Regional Economic Development Strategy) and Prosperous Christchurch, and other Council policies and strategies
● A fit with Government foreign and economic development policy
● Easy access in both a geographical and political sense
● Equal commitment from both parties to agreed objectives
● A business plan with measurable objectives
4. Christchurch will be proactive in prospecting for new relationships, as well as responding to approaches. Existing protocols and international connections should be used to leverage new and extended opportunities for Christchurch. (Examples include the Colombo Plan and the Mayors for Peace Network.)
5. Relationships will only be entered into if they are sustainable over the agreed period. Resource commitment is crucial to ensuring sustainability.
6. Review periods will be incorporated into all new relationships, with an opportunity to exit the relationship should it no longer meet its objectives.
7. Appropriate management processes for international relationships will be established. Existing sister city relationships will continue to be managed by the Sister City Committees, with project seed funding provided through annual Council grants. Some cultural and social relationships, such as Mayors for Peace activity and relationships, will be managed by the Council, in close association with the appropriate community associations. Economically focussed relationships will be managed jointly by Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Development Corporation, in collaboration with private and public organisations. Economic opportunities identified within existing Sister City relationships should be advised to the Canterbury Development Corporation.
Links
1. The International Relations Policy Statement links to the following Strategic Directions of the Council:
Prosperous Economy
Goal 1: Develop business and other links to promote economic development that is consistent with the needs of Christchurch’s people and environment, by
(i) strengthening international civic relationships to provide positive business links
(ii) taking part in national economic initiatives
(iii) helping businesses in key industries to work together to become more internationally competitive
Strong Communities
Goal 7: Celebrate and promote Christchurch’s identity, cultures and diversity, by
(i) providing and supporting a range of arts, festivals and events
(ii) supporting cultural groups and organisations
2. The International Relations Policy Statement links to the following Community Outcomes:
(i) a Prosperous City
(ii) a City of Lifelong Learning
(iii) a City of Inclusive and Diverse Communities
3. The International Relations Policy Statement links to the Canterbury Regional Economic Development Strategy (CREDS) which outlines city, regional, national and international partnerships. Two high level goals identified within CREDS are:
• To develop and maintain an enterprise culture that promotes investment, growth and innovation
• To become increasingly globally competitive and connected into world markets
4. The International Relations Policy Statement links to the New Zealand Government’s 2002 Growth and Innovation Framework which signals a continuing focus on increasing global connectedness as a central driver of economic growth.
5. The International Relations Policy Statement links to Immigration New Zealand’s initiative focussing on bringing skilled expatriates back to New Zealand. The key focus of the initiative is:
• To link with the existing range of government and private sector organisations, such as “Kiwi Expatriates Abroad” (KEA) to provide direct links to internationally based networks to profile opportunities for expatriates in New Zealand.
Types of Relationships
Five types of relationships will be entered into, allowing for a range of objectives, management and review processes, and resource commitments.
| Formal City-to-City Relationships |
| Strategic Partnership | Strategic partnerships may operate external to the Council but must fit with the Community Outcomes and Strategic Directions. It is likely a strategic partnership will contain a preponderance of proposed activity dedicated to commerce, education and access to markets and capital and only a small amount of activity in the arts, culture, sport and community awareness/support areas. Example: Christchurch – Wuhan relationship. |
| Sister City Relationship | Sister City relationships will be developed with cities where there are diverse linkages in the areas of culture, education, and business. These relationships will be long term and have the support and commitment of the community. Formalised by Council agreement, they will be managed locally by a community committee, and supported by Council resource at both ends of the relationship.
Examples: Seattle, Songpa, Gansu, Adelaide and Kurashiki. |
| Friendship City Relationship | These relationships will have limited activity, in the areas of education, arts, culture, and sport and community awareness/support. A Friendship City relationship could be reclassified should activity increase. Friendship City status can be either a starting point for a new relationship or a ‘parking point’ for a non-active existing relationship. |
| Informal City-to-City Relationships |
| Best Practice Relationship | Best practice relationships will be resourced and managed by the Council. They will incorporate partners from the community, where appropriate. These relationships will be project based and will usually be medium term. Best practice relationships may exist between cities that are otherwise not connected in any way.
Example: Brisbane City, which offers infrastructural development expertise. |
| Special Relationship | Special relationships will provide the opportunity for linkages between communities with a special interest area or activity. These relationships will exist under the auspices of the Council but could be delegated to outside organisations or associations if this is deemed appropriate.
Examples: aid relationships, Mayors for Peace relationships and project-specific relationships. |
The names of the above relationships are New Zealand terminology. Some countries use different terminology to explain the significance of a relationship. For example, in China a Sister City relationship receives the highest level of support. In England a Twin City relationship is the equivalent of a New Zealand Sister City relationship.
Policy Review
The Christchurch City Council International Relations Policy Statement will be reviewed on or before January 2009.
