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The French Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Marc Fonbaustier, on a courtesy visit to IITA headquarters in Ibadan, reinforced the shared commitment between France and IITA to agricultural development, private sector engagement, and agricultural knowledge exchange.
Expressing admiration for IITA’s work in a meeting with IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, Ambassador Fonbaustier praised the Institute’s dedication and international talent pool. “I am impressed by the level of commitment and struck by the combination of staff and talents from many different countries. What you do here is not only for Africa but also for the world. We must build bridges and capacity between IITA and France, and I will do my best to speak for IITA,” he stated.
A highlight of the visit was a video presentation showing IITA’s innovation and impact across Africa. During discussions, Dr Ehui emphasized the importance of expanding partnerships. “IITA is keen to strengthen collaboration with France, particularly in funding and agricultural research,” he noted.