On Friday, April 24th, Aného, the main town of the Commune des Lacs 1, was honored by a visit from the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot. This trip to the three-hundred-year-old town was part of the decentralized cooperation between the Commune des Lacs 1 and the Yvelines Department in France.
Upon his arrival, he was welcomed by the Senator-Mayor of the Commune of Lacs 1, Mr. Alexis Coffi AQUEREBURU, and the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël BARROT, then held a meeting with local authorities to discuss decentralized cooperation between the Commune of Lacs 1 and the Department of Yvelines, the electoral district from which he comes.
During his address, the French diplomat highlighted the wealth of projects supported by this cooperation, particularly those related to sanitation, tourism, and youth training. He stated that this visit reflects his country’s commitment to supporting local initiatives and fostering partnerships with local authorities in Africa.
“ This partnership between the Yvelines department and the Commune of Lacs 1 has lasted for 20 years, with concrete, tangible, and visible results on the ground ,” stated Mr. Alexis Coffi AQUEREBURU. Among these results, the Senator-Mayor cited training courses for municipal employees, the construction of the Glidji Technical High School, latrines for households, the public garden, and especially the Tourism Center. He took the opportunity to invite the Minister to become an ambassador for the ongoing project of the Museum of Vodou History and Arts of Aného (MHIVAA).
Under the guidance of Senator-Mayor Jean-Noël Barrot was given a guided tour of the murals in the Town Hall, funded by the Yvelines Department. Alexis Coffi Aquereburu explained to his guest the meaning of the murals, which depict the various stages of the traditional Epé-Ekpé festival in the Guin region. To mark his visit to the three-hundred-year-old city, the French Foreign Minister planted a young almond tree in the urban forest (a district of the Yvelines Department).
Minister Jean-Noël BARROT’s visit to Aného as part of his stay in Togo, where he was received by the highest authorities of the country, demonstrates the interest that France attaches to decentralized cooperation initiatives, considered as effective tools to promote inclusive and sustainable development.
Communications Unit, Commune of Lakes 1
Contact: communication@lacs1.mairie.tg/WhatsApp: 70 52 67 67/Tel: 23 30 17 63