On Monday, September 28, 2026, at the institution’s headquarters in Rabat, the Director-General of the African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD), Dr. Coffi Dieudonné Assouvi, received Dr. Malam Boukar Awa Krou, Director-General of the African School of Architecture and Urban Planning (EAMAU), based in Togo.

The meeting is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen relations between these two African training and research institutions, both of which are committed to supporting the continent’s transformation.

The two leaders—both experts in their fields—discussed topics of common interest, including training, research, innovation, and the development of African skills, with a focus on building “smart cities” and intelligent territories.

Two institutions, a shared ambition for Africa

The discussions between the two leaders highlighted a convergence of visions centered on a single objective: to contribute to building a sovereign, stronger, and more resilient Africa—one that is better governed and driven primarily by its own talent and expertise.

Through their respective mandates, CAFRAD and EAMAU share a fundamental conviction: the sustainable transformation of Africa depends, above all, on the continent’s capacity to develop its human resources, generate its own knowledge, and champion African expertise. Established in 1975 through a resolution by the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African and Malagasy Common Organization (OCAM)—following a UNESCO study on the need for an African institution specialized in training for architecture and urban planning—EAMAU has gradually established itself as a hub for education and skills development in sectors essential to the planning and development of African territories.

For its part, CAFRAD has spent several decades working to become a central pillar for strengthening and developing the capacities of African public administrations, through training, applied research, institutional support, and the promotion of governance tailored to the realities and ambitions of the continent.

Training and research at the heart of Africa’s transformation

During the meeting, both leaders underscored the importance of creating stronger links between African training and research institutions. The training of African professionals, applied research, institutional innovation, and the generation of knowledge to inform public policy serve as key levers for supporting the economic, social, territorial, technological, and administrative transformations taking place across the continent.

This alignment opens up opportunities for cooperation in several areas of common interest, including training, scientific research, skills development, and support for public policies related to the transformation of territories. Official Invitation to the EAMAU 50th Anniversary

At the conclusion of the discussions, Dr. MALAM BOUKAR Awa Krou officially invited the Director-General of CAFRAD, Dr. Coffi Dieudonné ASSOUVI, to attend the 50th-anniversary commemorative ceremonies of EAMAU, scheduled to take place in Lomé, Togo, from October 12 to 16, 2026. This invitation reflects the desire of both institutions to continue and deepen their ongoing dialogue.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen institutional ties and explore new avenues for partnership, guided by a resolutely Pan-African approach.

Through this initiative, CAFRAD reaffirms its commitment to contributing to the emergence of an African ecosystem of knowledge, skills, and expertise—one capable of supporting the continent’s structural transformations and fostering the development of an Africa built upon its own capacities.