Dr. Belay Begashaw, director general of the Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa (SDGC/A), visited JIRCAS on October 25, 2017 during his official trip to Japan.

The SDGC/A is an international organization that supports governments, civil society, businesses, and academic institutions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa. It was established in July 2017 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Dr. Begashaw together with SDGC/A staff, Ms. Ashley Hufft, Senior Strategic Advisor & General Counsel, Mr. Pascal Gasheja, Director of Corporate Services, Ms. Sarah Lawan, Lead Manager, Program Partnerships and Innovations, and Ms. Lina Henao, SDGs Advisor of Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, engaged in a discussion with Dr. Masa Iwanaga, president of JIRCAS, and other JIRCAS researchers. At the meeting, Dr. Begashaw commended the wide range of research activities by JIRCAS, and he expressed interest in the research topics particularly those on climate change, plant pest, and disease control. Finally, JIRCAS and SDGC/A agreed to continue to exchange information on matters concerning the aforementioned fields.