IBRAF and FAO discuss cooperation in development areas during meeting in Cairo

The president of the Brazil Africa Institute (IBRAF), professor João Bosco Monte, met on Thursday afternoon (March 28th) with Dr. Abdulhakim Elwaer, Assistant Director/General Representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and regional representative for the Near East and North Africa (NENA). The meeting, which took place at the institution headquarters in Cairo, was also attended by other FAO officials.

During the meeting, cooperation actions were discussed in areas such as the development of irrigation systems for sugarcane cultivation, the improvement of agricultural cooperatives, among other topics of interest. The FAO is a specialized agency of the UN system that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and poverty through food security and agricultural development.

“Today, I had the pleasure to discuss with João Bosco Monte, president of the Brazil Africa Institute, a cooperation in the areas of agriculture and building capabilities of young researchers under the umbrella of the South-South Cooperation”, said Dr. Abdulhakim Elwaer.

Professor João Bosco Monte presented the Youth Technical Training Program (YTTP), IBRAF’s flagship educational project tailored to young Africans within the scope of South-South cooperation, which in February had its 2024 edition launched during the African Union Summit.

“Africa is today the continent with the youngest population in the world. This demographic boom must be seen as an important catalyst for the progress and evolution of its nations. The empowerment of African youth is urgent and crucial for the economic development of the continent”, says professor João Bosco Monte. By 2025, YTTP will have selected a thousand young Africans for a technical-educational immersion in Brazil. The first group will arrive in June this year.