On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, between 4:20 PM and 5:00 PM, the CHA-Africa Implementation Workshop took place in the library of the Libre Academy of Fine Arts (LABA) in Douala. The session was organized by Romuald TCHIBOZO. The following individuals participated in this workshop: Paul-Henri S. ASSAKO ASSAKO (Cameroon), Lize KRIEL (South Africa), Romuald TCHIBOZO (Benin), El Hadji Malick Ndiaye (Senegal), Edwige ZAGRE/KABORE (Burkina Faso), Vendelin ABOUNA ABOUNA (Cameroon), France NERLICH (France), Luc Bertrand ONDOBO (Cameroon), Champolion MIACHÉ EVINA (Cameroon), Juste, Constant ONANA AMOUGUI (Cameroon), Runette KRUGER (South Africa), Marthe MFOU’OU (Cameroon), Hervé Serge EBALA EBALA (Cameroon), Idrissou NJOYA (Cameroon). The session proceeded as follows:
Paul-Henri Souvenir ASSAKO ASSAKO, Director of LABA, opened the meeting by welcoming the members of CHA-Cameroon, as well as colleagues from Senegal, Benin, South Africa, Burkina Faso, and France. He then handed over the floor to Romuald TCHIBOZO to chair the session.
Romuald TCHIBOZO first congratulated Cameroon for organizing the African Day of Art History, expressing appreciation for the warm reception and efforts made to ensure the success of the conference. He thanked his Cameroonian colleagues for their initiative to create an African Art History Committee. This idea, which he had been contemplating since 2018, had begun to materialize with other countries like Rwanda. However, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed, or even halted, the progress of the project. He emphasized the need to gather art historians from other countries to revive this initiative. Finally, he highlighted the importance of clearly defining the statutes of this committee, specifying the profile of the art historian, particularly whether they work in Africa or abroad.
Champolion Miaché EVINA proposed forming a small committee with clearly defined missions, with communications conducted via email or WhatsApp forums. Idrissou NJOYA raised questions regarding the coordination of the committee and its legal status to potentially secure funding. El Hadji MALICK NDIAYE underscored the importance of having clear ideas, a strategy, objectives, and a steering committee to organize the project. Romuald TCHIBOZO stressed the importance of finalizing the legalization process by drafting statutes, which would facilitate the gathering of other colleagues for this task. This project would thus be supported by a committee comprising representatives from different countries: Paul-Henri Souvenir ASSAKO ASSAKO (Cameroon), Romuald TCHIBOZO (Benin), El Hadji MALICK NDIAYE (Senegal), Edwige ZAGRE/KABORE (Burkina Faso), and Runette KRUGER (South Africa).
Romuald TCHIBOZO proposed creating a WhatsApp forum to start working together and maintain regular contact. He also suggested expanding the network by including colleagues from other countries such as Togo, Gabon, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire. It is essential that the committee begin working, possibly including France NERLICH, Secretary of CIHA, who has significant experience and would be integrated into the WhatsApp forum.
Secretary: Juste Constant ONANA AMOUGUI