September 6, 2016     Accra

H.E Jesus Mba Bela Abaha, Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea (left) and Dr Elias T. Ayuk, Director of UNU-INRA (right)

The Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA), Dr Elias T. Ayuk, called on selected diplomatic missions in Accra, to improve the Institute’s working relationship with the respective African missions in Ghana. The diplomatic missions visited were the Embassy of Angola, Embassy of Equatorial Guinea and the Namibia High Commission.

During the visits, Dr Ayuk briefed the various Ambassadors on current activities of UNU-INRA and called for their continued support to the Institute. At the Namibia High Commission, the High Commissioner, His Excellency Charles B. Josob, lauded the Institute for its activities in Africa, especially in Namibia, through the UNU-INRA operating unit in Namibia.

At the Embassy of Equatorial Guinea, His Excellency Jesus Mba Bela Abaha thanked the Director for the visit and pledged his Embassy’s support to the Institute. Similarly, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Angola Embassy, Maria Emilia Almeida, also renewed the commitment of the Angola Embassy to support the Institute’s activities.

The UNU-INRA Director, seized the opportunity to make a formal request, through the diplomatic missions visited, for the contributions of the respective African countries to the Institute’s endowment fund. This request, according to Dr Ayuk, is in line with a resolution taken by the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1986, which entreats African Governments to provide funding support for UNU-INRA.

UNU-INRA presented key publications including policy briefs on natural resources management issues to the diplomatic missions visited.

Dr Elias T. Ayuk, Director, UNU-INRA (right) presenting policy briefs to Madam Maria Emilia Almeida, Deputy Head of Mission, Angola Embassy, Accra