The closing ceremony of the Training Course on Biogas Technology for African English-speaking Countries in 2014 was held at Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture (BIOMA) in Chengdu on June 30. The course is sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of China and organized by BIOMA. Government representatives from Sichuan provincial department of commerce and BIOMA attended the closing ceremony.

Mr. Lu Ping, division director from Sichuan provincial department of commerce extended his congratulations to the successful completion of the training course and expressed his gratitude to all the experts and professors at BIOMA for their efforts during the course. Lu said that he hoped that participants of this course could apply the biogas technology they have learned to the agricultural and economic development of their respective countries after they returned home. Lu also said that he hoped that the participants could become ambassadors for friendship between African countries and Sichuan province and promote further economic ties and friendly exchanges between the two sides.

Li Qian, director general of BIOMA expressed two hopes and two wishes to the participants during his farewell speech at the ceremony. He hoped that the participants could stay in close touch with BIOMA, and hoped that they would always remember BIOMA and the 56 days’ stay at BIOMA in China. He wished all the participants a safe journey back home and more achievements in their future work.

Paul Wagura from Kenya delivered a speech as the participants’ representative. On behalf of all the participants, he expressed his gratitude to all the thoughtful arrangements and hard efforts made by BIOMA and he said that participants had learned lots of practical biogas technology during the course, which was of great relevance to African countries. He promised that they would put the knowledge they have learned into practice to help with the development of their respective countries and hoped that the Chinese government would continue its biogas training and finical support.

Lu and Li awarded graduation certificates and gifts to all the participants and handed out prizes to outstanding participants for their excellent Country Report during the participants’ forum of the training course.

This course is the 57th session of international training course organized by BIOMA. And it has 21 participants from Africa and lasted for 56 days.

Editor by Wang Zixuan