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The French Development Agency (AFD) and the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO) celebrated the recent signing of a core funding agreement for IIEP on 25 February 2020.
Over the next four years, AFD will commit 10 million euros to help IIEP fulfill its global mission of supporting countries with planning and managing their education systems. This will benefit all of IIEP’s activities worldwide, with a particular emphasis on Africa.
“France is now among IIEP’s largest core donors in 2020. We are deeply grateful for AFD’s outstanding support, which has now expanded to benefit IIEP’s broad portfolio of research, technical cooperation, and training worldwide,” said IIEP’s Director Ms Suzanne Grant Lewis. “This, coupled with the support from the French Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs for the Gender at the Center Initiative of the G7, will strongly contribute to UNESCO’s two global priorities on Africa and Gender Equality.”
"IIEP is a historical and strategic partner of AFD. The Institute provides technical expertise and produces unique knowledge and tools for ministries in charge of education, as well as training for the analysis, definition, and implementation of effective, sustainable, credible, and equitable education and training policies, which are essential conditions for the legitimacy of public policies and the mobilization of external financing,” said Ms Virginie Leroy, Director of the Demographic and Social Transition Department at AFD.
AFD initially supported IIEP with specific activities. This began in 2013 with the integration of Pôle de Dakar, IIEP’s regional bureau in Dakar, Senegal, and continued with funding for a project on supporting growth and employment in Africa and quality management in education.
The launch of agreement took place at IIEP’s headquarters in Paris, in the presence of the French Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of France to UNESCO.
On this occasion, the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Ms Stefania Giannini, the Director and Deputy Director of IIEP, Ms Grant Lewis and Mr Paul Coustère, welcomed the French Ambassador to UNESCO, Her Excellency Ms Véronique Roger-Lacan, and Ms Virginie Leroy (AFD).