Mayor of Abomey Mètolé Franck Kpassassi hosted a meeting with a French delegation on 14 October 2026. Laure Weisgerber, Director of the French Development Agency (AFD) in Benin, led the visiting group during the session. On October 14, 2026, the Mayor of Abomey, Mètolé Franck Kpassassi, met with a French delegation led by Laure Weisgerber, Director of the French Development Agency (AFD) in Benin. The officials gathered in Abomey to discuss the ongoing integration of royal heritage into the municipality’s cultural development plans. Both parties examined how collaborative efforts might influence local growth through the preservation of historic sites and traditional structures. This meeting marks a formal engagement between the municipal administration and the French Development Agency regarding the future of the region's cultural assets. Project planning remains the primary focus of these discussions between the Mayor and the agency representatives.
Advancing Key Cultural Infrastructure
Discussions during the meeting centered on the advancement of projects funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), with particular attention given to the Musée de la Mémoire et des Arts du Danxomè (MuRAD) and the Institut Français d’Afrique Noire (IFAN) located in Abomey. The meeting focused on the progress of AFD-funded projects, specifically the Musée de la Mémoire et des Arts du Danxomè (MuRAD) and the Institut Français d’Afrique Noire (IFAN) in Abomey. Officials evaluated the current status of these sites as part of the broader efforts to integrate royal heritage into the municipality’s development framework.
The preservation of these specific sites is viewed by the municipal administration as a foundational step in securing the long-term cultural identity of the area. By focusing on the Musée de la Mémoire et des Arts du Danxomè (MuRAD) and the Institut Français d’Afrique Noire (IFAN), the Mayor and the French delegation aim to create a cohesive narrative that links historic preservation with modern municipal utility. The dialogue between Mètolé Franck Kpassassi and Laure Weisgerber included a technical review of how these structures can be maintained to meet international standards while remaining accessible to the local population.
Educational initiatives also formed a core component of the briefing. A project was launched to distribute 48,000 copies of the 'Cahiers du patrimoine – Série Bénin' to schoolchildren residing in Abomey and Bohicon. These manuals serve as a resource for local students to engage with regional history and cultural assets.
The association TransKultures designed the 'Cahiers du patrimoine' manuals under the direction of Hyeon Ju Kim. The 'Cahiers du patrimoine' manuals were designed by the association TransKultures under the direction of Hyeon Ju Kim. The content within these publications provides detailed information regarding the history of 26 royal treasures that were returned by France to Bénin. The educational manuals cover the history of 26 royal treasures returned by France to Benin. These materials aim to facilitate a structured understanding of the artifacts among the youth in the two municipalities. Through this initiative, the administration and the French Development Agency hope to foster a deeper connection between the younger generation and the historical artifacts that define the region's heritage.