As part of efforts to drive advocacy and support for national RENs in the WACREN region, the CEO of WACREN, Dr. Boubakar Barry, has visited some Member countries to push for government and community support for local NRENs.

His first stop was Togo, where he together with the CEO of TogoRER, Dr Venant E.T.G. Palanga, paid a working visit to the Minister for Higher Education and Research, Prof. Majesté N. Ihou Wateba. 

In the meeting, Dr. Barry requested the honourable Minister to lend a helping hand to enable TogoRER to connect more institutions to the network and the digital services provided by WACREN through TogoRER.  

He explained that the pandemic has really justified the value of research and education networks (RENs) to economies across the world. 

“Research and education networks have risen to the occasion when they are needed most. It would have been impossible for hundreds of higher education institutions in our region to survive the scare of the pandemic, if not for the help of our national RENs,” Dr. Barry said.

He appealed to the Togolese Ministry to integrate TogoRER into the core part of the digital agenda for education in the West-African country.

Prof. Majesté N. Ihou Wateba, in his response, promised that the Education and Research Ministry will consider supporting the local REN through a conducive policy environment,  funding among others

The CEO of TogoRER expressed gratitude to Dr. Barry for the meeting. He gave assurance of a close working relationship with the Ministry of Education and Research in Togo.

 

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