Ottawa, February 4, 2026 – As part of International Development Week 2026, Mr. Hycinth Banseka, Technical Director of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), will undertake an official visit to Canada from February 3 to 8, 2026. The mission aims to strengthen diplomatic ties and promote technical cooperation between Canada and the LCBC, in line with Canada’s Africa Strategy.
Mr. Banseka will meet with representatives from Global Affairs Canada, Alinea International and numerous actors from the international cooperation community to discuss environmental, development, and security issues in the Lake Chad Basin region.
“The restoration of the Lake Chad Basin is essential for community resilience and regional stability. We are proud to collaborate with Canada, Alinea, and all our partners to achieve these goals through the Lake Chad Basin Conservation Project,” said Mr. Banseka of the LCBC.
A lunch-and-learn event will be held on February 4, 2026, at the University of Ottawa (Social Sciences Building), titled: “Restoring the Lake Chad Basin: Empowerment, Resilience, and Environmental Peace.” The event, held as part of the Lake Chad Basin Conservation Project, is a collaboration between Alinea International, the LCBC, and the University of Ottawa’s Centre for International Policy Studies (CIPS), with financial support from Global Affairs Canada.
The program will also feature a roundtable discussion with three panelists: Yannick Beaudoin (Alinea International), Michèle Laflamme (CERFO), and Fobissie Kalame (FOKABS), along with a keynote address delivered by Mr. Banseka of the LCBC. They will exchange insights on innovative solutions for ecological restoration, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing scientific cooperation between Canada and the Lake Chad Basin countries.
This visit and the exchanges it will generate will help strengthen essential partnerships for the sustainable restoration of the Lake Chad Basin and reinforce the resilience of the communities that depend on it.
