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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY�S INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONSORTIUM TO NEGOTIATE AND, TO THE EXTENT FEASIBLE, PREPARE A SISTER CITIES AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LIMA, PERU AND TRANSMIT SUCH AGREEMENT TO THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE FOR EXECUTION; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE SUCH AGREEMENT UPON RECEIPT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONSORTIUM; AND DIRECTING THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONSORTIUM TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE OF SUCH AGREEMENT AND PROVIDE A REPORT TO THIS BOARD

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WHEREAS, it is economically and culturally beneficial to establish affiliations between Miami-Dade County, Florida (the �County�) and other cities throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, a sister cities relationship is a long-term cooperative relationship between two cities in different countries through which cultural, art, educational, business, and technical exchanges are fostered; and
WHEREAS, Sister Cities International is an international nonprofit organization created at President Dwight D. Eisenhower�s 1956 White House summit on citizen diplomacy, where he envisioned a network that would be a champion for prosperity and peace by fostering bonds between people from different communities around the world; and
WHEREAS, since its inception, Sister Cities International has worked to create global relationships based on cultural, educational, information and trade exchanges, which has resulted in participants developing lifelong friendships that enable communities to better tackle the world�s most pressing issues at the local level, through person-to-person �citizen diplomacy�; and
WHEREAS, business and trade exchanges are a fundamental component of Sister Cities programs, and they help create connections between international municipal officials, institutions, and businesses that build trust, access, and expertise and help local businesses find new opportunities and resources, including access to new markets, assistance navigating import and export regulations, and introductions to new business partners; and
WHEREAS, the Sister Cities Program has developed innovative projects, furthered international cooperation and understanding between the County and its respective sister cities, and helped to promote the County�s position as the Gateway to the Americas; and
WHEREAS, according to statistics maintained by the Jay Molina International Trade Consortium of Miami-Dade County (the �ITC�), Lima, Peru (�Lima�) is a major metropolitan center representing nearly one-third of Peru�s population; and
WHEREAS, Lima is the principal driver of Peru�s approximately $300,000,000,000.00 economy, serving as the nation�s center for financial services, industrial output, and corporate headquarters activity; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Callao, located in the Lima metropolitan area, handles approximately 75 percent of Peru�s containerized trade and maintains direct shipping routes with PortMiami, creating significant opportunities for enhanced trade, logistics coordination, and supply chain integration between two regions; and
WHEREAS, Lima�s strong international connectivity through Jorge Ch�vez International Airport, combined with its export-driven economy and projected steady growth, presents substantial opportunities for expanded economic growth, trade, tourism, and cultural exchange with the County; and
WHEREAS, the County is the Gateway to the Americas; and
WHEREAS, under section 2-1501 of the Code of Miami-Dade County (the �Code�), the ITC, an advisory board of this Board, is charged with, among other things, cultivating relations with the County�s Sister Cities and administering the Sister Cities Program; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the great benefits in trade, tourism, cooperation, and understanding brought by sister cities agreements, this Board would like to direct the ITC to negotiate and, to the extent feasible, prepare a Sister Cities Agreement with Lima for execution by the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Approves the foregoing recitals and directs the ITC to negotiate and, to the extent feasible, prepare a Sister Cities Agreement with the City of Lima, Peru, in substantially the form of the agreement attached hereto, and transmit such agreement (the �Agreement�) to the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee for execution.
Section 2. Authorizes and directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to execute such Agreement upon receipt from the ITC.
Section 3. Directs the ITC to monitor the performance of such executed Agreement in connection with its powers and duties under sections 2-1501 through 2-1503 of the Code.
Section 4. Directs the ITC to provide a report to this Board within 60 days of the effective date of this resolution regarding the status of the negotiation and execution of the Agreement and place the completed report on an agenda of the full Board without committee review pursuant to Rule 5.06(j) of the Board�s Rules of Procedure.