The institutional and cooperation partners of the KAS Foundation in Benin responded to the invitation of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung for the presentation of New Year's greetings and the strengthening of local networking.

The German Ambassador to Benin, H.E. Dr. Stefan Buchwald, did not wish to be told about this event and enjoyed fruitful exchanges with the sixty or so people present at this KAS Stakeholder Meeting.

In the presence of the Beninese authorities, Dr. Stefanie Brinkel, Resident Representative, reiterated the Foundation's thanks and gratitude to the local partners for their trust and especially to the Beninese State for its support and intermediary which ensure the smooth running of KAS activities in Benin.

Subsequently, as a first step, the representative of the mayor of the municipality of Cotonou, Dr. Pierre Zocli transmitted the words of the first magistrate of the city and thanked KAS for its actions towards the Beninese living forces.

Following on from Mr. Zocli, Pr. Samson Guèdègbé, holder of the UNESCO Chair (one of KAS's oldest institutional partners in Benin), speaking on behalf of Benin's civil society organizations, reaffirmed the Bosc's gratitude for KAS's technical and financial support, and expressed the hope that the budgets devoted to civil society in Benin would undergo a substantial increase in the coming years.

This was followed by the crux of the ceremony with a keynote by Father Éric Aguenounon, Director of the Institute of Artisans of Justice and Peace (IAJP/CO), on the theme: " Democracy and Accountability." He mentioned that democracy and accountability are inseparable ; In this nexus, the second notion guarantees the foundation of the first in its stability, durability and resilience. For Father Aguenounon, accountability is to democracy what maintenance is to computer devices.

The ceremony ended with a group photo and a fraternal snack.