CAFRAD is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Coffi Dieudonné ASSOUVI, Director General of the African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD), to the position of Vice-President of the Climate, Natural Resources and Environmental Law Section of the African Academy of International Law Practice, in French Académie Africaine de la Pratique du Droit International (AAPDI).

This appointment was made by Professor Jean Baptiste HARELIMANA, President of AAPDI, following deliberation by the General Assembly of the Academy and an in-depth review of the academic and professional work of the laureate. Professor HARELIMANA expressed profound respect and unreserved admiration for the remarkable career of Dr. ASSOUVI. A double doctorate holder, plenipotentiary diplomat, elite trainer and architect of public policies, he embodies the strength, vision and pragmatism essential for transforming environmental and climate governance in Africa.

This nomination, which reflects Dr. ASSOUVI’s transformative and transformational leadership in service of the African cause, is also a call to this committed African and Africanist to continue working towards building a lucid and self-assured pan-Africanism focused on concrete action for Africa’s integration into global governance.

At the crossroads of knowledge, diplomacy and operational action, Dr. ASSOUVI has succeeded in turning academic excellence into a lever for concrete impact in service of States, institutions and communities. His leadership places sustainability and African sovereignty at the heart of the public policies he helps inspire and shape.

The Climate, Natural Resources and Environmental Law Section of AAPDI is intended as a strategic space for reflection and normative action, designed to transform the management of natural resources into instruments of sovereignty, innovation and environmental justice. It is aligned with the implementation dynamics of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions a resilient, prosperous and sustainable Africa.

Mr. Coffi Dieudonné ASSOUVI, a member of the Academy since 2019, holds, in addition to a degree from France’s ÉNA (Promotion Emile Zola 2008–2010) and the ÉNA of Benin, a Doctorate in Public Law from the University of Limoges in France and a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin.

He is a Research Associate at the Centre for Studies and Research on Administration and Finance (CAERAF); an expert in environmental law, economic law, international taxation, and the financing of sustainable and inclusive development;

A specialist in governance issues, geopolitics, geostrategy, geoeconomics and topics of interest for Africa, including the governance of natural resources and/or strategic raw materials; a critical interpreter of developments in the postmodern liquid society and transformations in the global economy; a specialist in public action transformation, skills obsolescence, and the professions of the future…

In accepting this new responsibility, Dr. ASSOUVI expressed his gratitude for the confidence placed in him and reaffirmed his commitment to working for a transformed and sovereign Africa. He also commended Professor HARELIMANA’s vision and his constant dedication to strengthening African legal frameworks and environmental diplomacy.

“Together, we can build another Africa, the one we want,” declared Dr. ASSOUVI, echoing the spirit of partnership and shared responsibility that underpins this new collaboration.

AAPDI is an institution dedicated to applied legal expertise and research, mandated to promote the understanding, development and implementation of international law in Africa. Its objective is to advance the study and practice of international law, as well as the means of resolving related disputes through arbitration, mediation, conciliation or judicial proceedings, from both an African and international perspective. AAPDI is organized around four main activity areas: research, publication, training and event organization. The synergy developed among these areas allows them to mutually reinforce each other. The African Academy of International Law Practice (AAPDI) aims to connect researchers, practitioners and experts who devote their work to the transnationalization of law, with a strong focus on its center of gravity—Africa—to create an environment conducive to creative thinking and to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

AAPDI is headquartered in Paris, France.