From October 29 to 31, 2009 an African Development Program (ADP) seminar presented by Tafa DIOP 6W1KI, Hans WELENS ON6WQ and Jean Jacques NIAVA TU2OP was held in Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire with delegates from some 7 francophone countries. The special and honor guest who opened the seminar was Mr AKOSSI AKOSSI secretary general of ATU (African Telecommunication Union). 

The purpose of the African Development Program (ADP) is to train African Ambassadors — that is, to train individuals, regardless of whether or not they are radio amateurs, to meet with their local officials and surrounding administrations in order to explain the many positive services of amateur radio and thus to enlist high-level support for the amateur services at international telecommunications meetings. ADP is an original idea of Region 1. 

In his address, Mr AKOSSI showed a wide knowledge of the amateur radio service and insisted on the importance of the service specially during disasters and his organisation is always supportive to amateur radio services. Mr Akossi participated in the work of the ADP during the three days. Mr Koffi Simon from ATCI (national Telecom regulatory Agency in Cote d’Ivoire) who is very supportive to ARAI and to amateur radio attended the opening ceremony. 

Trainees- African Telecommunications Union: Jacques AKOSSI-AKOSSI, Benin: Serge KOUDJO, Senegal (ESMT): Tahirou Ouattara, Burkina Faso: Hugolin POODA, Congo: Mao MWAMBA MONGUIMET, Côte d’Ivoire: Amoin N’GUESSAN, Dodo BLE, Rahmane VIEYRA, Germain NDRI KONAN, Maturin AMOA, Guinea: Ahmadou BAH, Togo: Ayayi HUNLEDE and Tchadabi BATCHASSI