President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, is the first graduate of MASHAV to become a head of state. He participated in MASHAV’s professional course on Young Leadership and Non-formal Education, held in 1991 at MASHAV’s affiliated training center the International Institute-Histadrut.
During their meeting, Head of MASHAV, Ambassador Gil Haskel, presented the President with a copy of his 1991 graduation picture. In this occasion, President Hernandez noted, as a graduate of MASHAV, the importance of Israeli assistance to Honduras' development through the participation of Honduran professionals in MASHAV courses both in Israel and in Honduras. He thanked MASHAV and stated that the course in Israel provided him with practical tools which assisted him through his public career, and that he hoped that other young people from his country would be able to benefit from MASHAV courses, just as he did.
President Hernandez arrived in Israel accompanied by a delegation that included the Honduras' ministers of foreign affairs, defense, agriculture and national infrastructures, and the chief of staff of the Honduras armed forces.
During his visit to MASHAV-CINACO’s training center in kibbutz Shefayim, the distinguished guests visited the dairy farming premises and continued to a working meeting with MASHAV and CINADCO officials during which the sides discussed the implementation of an action plan based on the agreement signed between the two parties.
The visit reflects the close relations existing between the two states. Israel will continue to cooperate with Honduras, as it has over the years, in the fields of agriculture, education, health, science and technology, and water management, especially in light of the serious drought Honduras has been experiencing in the past year.
A course in agricultural water management is taking place presently in Honduras, given by an Israeli expert in the field, and another delegation is expected to leave in the coming weeks for Tegucigalpa to share Israeli know-how in combating desertification and dealing with a shortage of water for agriculture and drinking.