Dubai, UAE, October 2025: Zotus City Development Group has taken another important step in advancing its global engagement strategy following high level discussions at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors' Forum in Dubai.
During the summit, the Zotus City delegation had the privilege of engaging with senior leadership from the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York, including Deputy Mayor Camille Joseph Varlack and Commissioner Aissata M.B. Camara of the Mayor's Office for International Affairs.
The discussions focused on the long term vision of developing a potential Sister City relationship between Zotus City in Botswana and New York City, one of the world's leading centres of finance, trade, innovation, culture, and global diplomacy.
For Zotus City, this dialogue represents a significant milestone in its mission to connect Africa's next generation smart city with major international urban centres. The proposed partnership would create a platform for knowledge exchange and cooperation across key areas including smart infrastructure, financial systems, education, sustainability, innovation, city governance, and international city diplomacy.
As Zotus City continues to position itself as the "Dubai of the Kalahari," the engagement with New York City reflects its broader ambition to become a globally connected, economically diverse, and future ready urban hub. The city is being developed to link Southern Africa with major trade corridors, investment networks, innovation ecosystems, and strategic international partners.
The Asia Pacific Cities Summit provided an important platform for meaningful city to city dialogue, bringing together leaders, policymakers, innovators, and urban development stakeholders from across the world. For Zotus City, participation in the summit reinforced the importance of global collaboration in shaping the cities of the future.
Zotus City Development Group expresses its sincere appreciation to the City of New York's Office of the Mayor for its openness and engagement, and to the Asia Pacific Cities Summit for creating a platform where impactful international partnerships can begin.
This engagement marks another step in Zotus City's journey toward building a world class African smart city with global reach, strategic partnerships, and a bold vision for the future.
