The former Prime Minister of Togo, Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), the New York-based institution announced Thursday.
Houngbo who currently holds the chairmanship of the International Fund for Agricultural Development will take up his post as head of NRGI in March.
“Gilbert has shown great skill in bringing together key players, from the powerful to the voiceless, to create solutions to the most pressing development challenges. NRGI, as a convener of decision makers and constituencies, can learn much from Gilbert’s experience and perspective. His demonstrated ability to lead organizations through strategic evolutions in response to changing global dynamics will serve NRGI very well in the years to come,” said Smita Singh, Acting Board Chair.
“My fellow NRGI board members and I are elated to welcome Gilbert as our chair and to gain the benefit of his extensive experience as a diplomat, a head of state and a leader in international development,” said Sean Hinton, an NRGI board member who led the chair search.
For the Togolese himself, it will be a “pleasure and privilege to lead the NRGI Board of Directors”.
The 61-year-old will take over from Mexico’s former president, Ernesto Zedillo, who served as chairman of the NGO’s board of directors from 2013 to 2020.
The Natural Resource Governance Institute, is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to improving the governance of countries over their natural resources in order to promote sustainable and inclusive development.
Source : icilome.com