Consistent with Mayor Norm Coleman's top priority of economic development, Saint Paul's Sister City committees are encouraged to move toward the development of international trade and commerce in order to maximize the economic return on the expenditure of municipal funds and staff time. The City of Saint Paul provides minimal funding for Sister City committee activities. A city staff person is assigned to coordinate the activities of a Sister Cities Coalition which is composed of a representative from each of the Sister City committees. Each individual Sister City Program is operated and maintained by a community board or committee. These organizations are responsible for election of their officers, holding regular meetings, conducting fund-raisers, hosting visiting delegations, providing education programs and maintaining communications between their corresponding city or community.
People do business with people they know.
To enhance its economic viability, Saint Paul must compete on the international market. Saint Paul companies have the products to do that. The Sister City committees are a potential avenue for entry into a country's economy. Committees are asked to enter into a partnership with the City to initially foster friendships, create an ongoing exchange of cultural awareness and ultimately develop international trade and tourism between Saint Paul and other nations. Saint Paul officials can facilitate meetings and contacts between heads of state and governments, but the underlying costs of hosting trade delegation or cultural exchanges will increasingly have to be shouldered by the committees, utilizing financial contributions from the participants.