AGOA FORUM - DJIBOUTI DELEGATION CONFIRMED

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000611 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF, AF/E, AF/EPS; PARIS, LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAID ETRD DJ SUBJECT: AGOA FORUM - DJIBOUTI DELEGATION CONFIRMED ¶1. (U) Post has received confirmation that Minister of Commerce, Industry and Artisans, Rifki Abdoulkader Bamakrama, and Houssein Elmi Houdon, Director of Commerce will be attending as Djibouti's delegation to the AGOA Forum in Dakar. ¶2. (U) BIO DATA for Minister of Commerce and Industry, Rifki Abdoulkader Bamakrama: Born in 1954. Bamakrama is Arab of Yemeni descent. He did his Bac in Nancy, France and University in Lorraine, France. He received a degree in Social Sciences and Arab Arts. He also holds a diploma in Teaching. Bamakrama worked in France briefly before starting at the French Cultural Center in Djibouti in 1981. He has held the position of Assistant Director of the Palais du Peuple and Co-Director for Publication of Le Progres, the newsletter of the People's Rally for Progress (RPP). He played a large role as mediator in the 1994 peace accords. He served as Minister of Commerce in 1995 and was Minister of Communication until his move back to Commerce. RAGSDALE