From left to right: Mr. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, ACBF Executive Board Chair, Mon.Pascal Irénée KOUPAKI, Ministère d’Etat chargé de la prospective, du développement et de l’évaluation de l’action publique; Dr. Soumana Sako, ACBF Executive Secretary; and Mon. Antonin Dossou, Director of cabinet in the Ministère d’Etat chargé de la prospective, du développement et de l’évaluation de l’action publique

On 6 December the Ministère d'Etat chargé de la prospective, du développement et de l'évaluation de l'action publique, Hon. Pascal Irénée KOUPAKI in the Government of the Republic of Benin officially opened the 38th Regular Meeting of the ACBF Executive Board in Cotonou, Benin. Speaking at the opening, The Minister on behalf of the Head of State welcomed ACBF to Benin. He thanked ACBF for paying homage to the Government of Benin. He stated that the partnership between Benin and ACBF which dates back to 1998 has been a beneficial one as ACBF has assisted Benin in the building of capacity for policy analysis, research and training. All these aspects of capacity building, he added, have greatly assisted in the proper functioning of the governance system in Benin.

The 38th Regular Meeting approved 6 operations, which consisted of 4 projects and Country-Level Knowledge Networks (CLK-NETs). The Board also appointed Dr. Forlemu as Interim Executive Secretary to manage the Foundation's Secretariat with effect from 21 January 2008 when Dr. Sako's term ends.

From left to right. Abdelatif Bernoussi; Kithinji Kiragu; Frans Werter; John Loxley (Chair, Finance Committee); Soumana Sako; Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile (Chair); Anand Rajaram; Kerfalla Yansane (Chair, Operations Committee); Sahr Kpundeh; Jan Isaksen; Tchabourné Aimé Gogue

EDWIN N. FORLEMU NAMED INTERIM EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF ACBF

In December 2007, the ACBF Executive Board appointed Dr. Edwin N. Forlemu, Manager of the Legal Affairs Department; and Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary as Interim Executive Secretary of the Foundation with effect from 21 January 2008. Dr. Forlemu succeeds Dr. Soumana Sako, who concludes his term as Executive Secretary (2002 - 2008) on 20 January 2008. More details on the appointment and the handover process will be carried in the First Quarter Issue of the ACBF Newsletter for 2008.