The PRO-SUD intermunicipal syndicate, the political body managing the Minett UNESCO Biosphere, and the company AGORA have entered a new phase in their international outreach by signing, this Monday at AGORA’s headquarters in Belval, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with representatives of the City of Zhengzhou (People’s Republic of China). This signing marks the start of cooperation in the fields of sustainable urban development, the ecological transition, and territorial innovation.
A ceremony at the heart of Belval – a symbol of transformation
The ceremony took place in Belval, an emblematic site for the transformation of a former industrial area into a diverse district featuring the university, research centres, a wide cultural offering, housing, and economic activities. The preserved blast furnaces reflect the determination to combine industrial heritage with modern urban development.
After the signing, the delegation visited the site, before concluding the morning with a visit to the Maison de l’Innovation, home, among others, to the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and Luxinnovation.
A cooperation framework built around five strategic priorities
The MoU establishes a cooperation framework structured around five main pillars:
- Climate change
- Energy transition
- Biodiversity and ecosystem management
- Smart Cities
- Circular economy
 |
 |
 |
© Minett UNESCO Biosphere
In practical terms, this international partnership provides for knowledge sharing, organised visits, and exchanges between staff from the respective organisations and experts, within a defined framework that could enable joint projects.
Partners for international cooperation
Among the personalities present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding were H.E. HUA Ning, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Luxembourg, as well as MA Zhifeng, Vice Mayor of the City of Zhengzhou.
On the Luxembourg side, Christian WEIS, Mayor of the City of Esch-sur-Alzette and President of PRO-SUD, Yannick QUEVEDO, CEO of AGORA, and Bruno THÉRET, Vice-President of AGORA, took part in the ceremony. A delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs, on an official visit to Luxembourg from 8 to 11 May 2026, was also present, as were representatives of LIST and Luxinnovation.
A shared vision beyond borders
In his speech, Christian WEIS highlighted the depth of the historical relations between Luxembourg and China, referring to a shared heritage linked to the steel industry and the challenges of reconversion. He also underlined the role of PRO-SUD, a municipal syndicate bringing together eleven municipalities in the south of Luxembourg, as well as the syndicate’s commitment to the Minett UNESCO Biosphere.
Christian WEIS stated: “The challenges we face are largely the same. Climate change knows no borders. (…) What differs are scales, contexts and methods. And that is precisely where the richness of our partnership lies.”
As the project developer (maître d’ouvrage) behind the transformation of Belval, AGORA contributes recognised expertise in urban regeneration, the circular economy, and the development of large-scale projects. Bruno THÉRET underlined the significance of the Belval project in his speech: “Belval shows that an industrial brownfield is never only a past that needs to be managed: it is a resource (…) from which a territory can reinvent itself sustainably.”
The start of an international partnership
Through this MoU, PRO-SUD, AGORA and the City of Zhengzhou lay the foundations for an operational dialogue to develop, over time, initiatives and cooperation on topics such as energy, biodiversity, smart urban solutions and the circular economy, with a shared objective: to improve quality of life and strengthen the resilience of territories.