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By Myke Agunwa
The Global Friendship City Association (GFCA) has appointed Nigerian politician and diplomat, Ambassador Timi Frank as Senior Advisor, to bolster city-to-city diplomacy, youth empowerment, and cultural exchanges between Africa and the United States.
GFCA Executive Director, Jonathan Ginsberg who made the announcement in San Francisco California on Tuesday, described Frank’s political and diplomatic expertise as key asset.
He added that the appointment highlights GFCA’s focus on sustainable partnerships between African cities and U.S. communities.
According to him, “Ambassador Timi Frank’s deep experience in African politics and diplomacy makes him a vital addition to GFCA. His leadership will advance our goal of expanding Africa–U.S. friendship city partnerships, empowering youth, and fostering cross-cultural exchange.”
Frank, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress (APC), is also the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East.
In his new role, Frank will guide GFCA’s global partnership strategies, focusing on long-term links between African and American cities.
He is also expected to play a key role in expanding programmes in education, culture, innovation, public service and youth leadership.
In his acceptance speech, Amb. Frank expressed enthusiasm about supporting GFCA’s efforts to expand friendship city partnerships and empowering young people across both regions.
“I am deeply honored to join GFCA at a pivotal moment for Africa–U.S. people-to-people diplomacy. Building sustainable bridges between continents is both a responsibility and a privilege,” Frank said.
Based in California’s Bay Area, GFCA is a non-profit organization promoting global cooperation through dialogue and collaborative development. The organization says Frank’s appointment will accelerate cross-regional collaboration and expand its African presence.
With Frank’s appointment, the association says it is positioning itself to accelerate cross-regional collaboration and deepen its footprint in Africa.