IITA and Government of Benin sign Host Country Agreement
The Government of Benin through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation signed a Host Country Agreement with IITA in Benin last 17 December. The signing ceremony was presided over by the Secretary General of the Ministry, Ambassador Hervé Djikpé, who signed on behalf of the Government of Benin, and the IITA-Benin Country Representative Manuele Tamò. The ceremony was honored by a surprise visit by the Minister, Aurélien Agbénonci, who wanted to assure the audience of his appreciation for the work of IITA in Benin.
The IITA-Benin Country Representative gave a brief overview of the history of IITA in Benin, and presented the new orientation of the station, particularly the establishment of the Biorisk Management Facility (BIMAF) and the Clearinghouse of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program. He emphasized that both initiatives are well aligned with the new Government Activities Program (PAG in French): BIMAF contributing to mitigating the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and TAAT through its compacts providing new technologies to transform African agriculture and engaging the youth.
IITA-Benin Country Representative Manuele Tamò (left) with
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Secretary General,
Ambassador Hervé Djikpé.
In his speech, the Secretary General thanked IITA for its continuing contribution to agricultural research leading to improved livelihoods in Africa, and reiterated the firm intention of the Government of Benin to continue and expand its partnership with IITA in Benin, which will soon be materialized with the establishment of the International Research Center for Climate Resilient Agriculture (CIRACC in French) in the Benin station. He added that the signing of the Host Country Agreement was giving IITA a more solid institutional, legal, and political framework to be able to operate in Benin.
