Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COTONOU494
2007-07-05 09:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Cotonou
Cable title:  

BENIN: PROFILES OF NEW MINISTERS

Tags:  PGOV PINR PREL ECON BN 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050949Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9649
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1114
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1372
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COTONOU 000494 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W (DBANKS)
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL ECON BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: PROFILES OF NEW MINISTERS

REF: COTONOU 440

COTONOU 00000494 001.2 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COTONOU 000494

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W (DBANKS)
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL ECON BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: PROFILES OF NEW MINISTERS

REF: COTONOU 440

COTONOU 00000494 001.2 OF 003



1. This is the second in a series of telegrams concerning the newly
formed government of President Boni Yayi. Reftel provided a list of
ministers. This telegram provides profiles of ten new ministers
who, along with returning Defense Minister N'Douro and Economy
Minister Koupaki, will be the key interlocutors for the Embassy and
USG on policy and program issues in our bilateral relations.

MINISTER OF FINANCE
--------------


2. An economist by profession, Mr. Soul Mana Lawani held several
senior positions at the Central Bank of West African States
(BCEAO)in Dakar, Senegal, including Director of Accounting and
Budget. When President Boni Yayi took office in April 2006, he
called upon Mr. Lawani to serve on a committee to resolve
long-standing management problems at what was then called the Benin
Electric Energy and Water Corporation (SBEE). In May 2007, the
president appointed him as Director of the reorganized Benin Water
Corporation (SONEB),where he remained until his current
appointment. As Minister of Finance, he and Mr. Pascal Irene
Koupaki, Minister of State in charge of the Economy, Economic
Forecasting, Development, and the Evaluation of Public Action,
assume the responsibilities previously handled by the Ministry for
Development, Economy, and Finance. Like Minister of State Koupaki,
Mr. Lawani has the reputation of being a stickler for following
rules and regulations and having no tolerance for corruption or
incompetence. At his first meeting with Ministry staff, he declared
that he would work toward improving the financial administration of
the nation through the modernization and reform of the civil service
and the judicious utilization of financial resources. He is 53
years old.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AFRICAN INTEGRATION,
FRANCOPHONIE AND THE BENINESE DIASPORA
--------------


3. Dr. Moussa Okanla holds a PhD in Political Science from the
University of Michigan and for many years taught International
Relations and International Law at the University of Abomey Calavi
in Benin. Among his areas of expertise are international

development, the foreign policy of the United States, and
disarmament. He has on several occasions been a guest speaker at
programs conducted by the Embassy's Public Affairs Section on the
subject of the American electoral system. In his first public speech
after his appointment, the new Minister pledged that during his
tenure he would focus on the following priorities: the strengthening
of the relationship with donors, the upgrading and improvement of
Benin's overseas diplomatic representation, and the building of new
partnerships with foreign countries through the expansion of Benin's
diplomatic missions overseas. He is 57 years old.

MINISTER OF INTERIOR AND PUBLIC SECURITY
--------------


4. Mr. Flix Hessou is a Brigadier General who received military
training in France, Russia, and the United States. He also holds a
four-year university degree in sociology and anthropology from the
National University of Benin. Prior to his appointment, he was the
Chief of Staff to the Minister of National Defense. He is an alumnus
of the African Center for Strategic Studies program. He has the
reputation of being calm and approachable. In his first public
speech, he emphasized his commitment to crack down on violent crime.
He is 54 years old.

MINISTER OF INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE
ENTERPRISE
--------------


5. Mr. Grgoire Akofodji, whose background is in the private sector
textile industry, is not well known to the public. He graduated from
the Advanced School of Business in Cote d'Ivoire and also received
training in France and England before returning to Benin in the
early 1980's. He worked for a French company based in the West
African region (CFAO),and for the Benin Textiles Manufacturing
Company (SOBETEX). For the last ten years, he has owned and managed
his own textile business. During his first address to Ministry
staff, he pledged that he would address issues relating to related
to Benin's parastatals, including the gas company (SONACOP) and
brewery (SOBEBRA). He belongs to the same Assembly of God Christian
church as President Yayi, and is 51 years old.

THE KEEPER OF THE SEALS, MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGISLATION
AND HUMAN RIGHTS

COTONOU 00000494 002.2 OF 003


--------------


6. Mr. Gustave Anani Cassa is a lawyer by profession. Prior to his
appointment, he was a partner and colleague of prominent attorney
Mr. Robert Dossou, who was formerly Minister of Foreign Affairs in
the government of Nicephore Soglo and a key player in President
Yayi's election. It is believed that Mr. Dossou, as well as other
political leaders from the southwest region of Mono, endorsed Mr.
Cassa for this appointment. This is Mr. Cassa's first governmental
position.

MINISTER OF MINES, ENERGY AND WATER
--------------


7. Mr. Sacca Lafia is a veterinarian by profession. He is the leader
of the political party "Union for Democracy and Solidarity" (UDS).
He was elected deputy of the National Assembly in 1999 and 2003 as a
candidate of this party. He was among the first politicians to ally
with President Yayi, and in 2007 he was elected to the National
Assembly under the auspices of President Boni Yayi's political
alliance, the "Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin," (FCBE). He was a
fierce opponent of former President Mathieu Kerekou, and has earned
the respect of the Beninese electorate as a politician who has
remained true to his principles. In 2002, he participated in a
USG-sponsored International Visitor Program on the subject of
conflict resolution. In the speech he made upon taking office, he
declared that he would make it a priority to solve the problem of
power outages which plague Benin and increase access to safe
drinking water. He is 55 years old.

MINISTER OF FAMILY AND CHILD
--------------


8. Ms. Clmence Yimbr Dansou is a career magistrate. She served as
Prosecuting Attorney at the Supreme Court of Cotonou. Prior to this,
she was Judge and President of the Labor Court of Cotonou, Counselor
at the Court of Appeals, and Director for Penal Affairs. She has
also held the positions of Legal Advisor to the Ministry of National
Defense and Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Cotonou Court of Appeal.
She is the wife of Felix Essou Dansou, former Minister of Energy,
Mines, and Hydraulics in the government of Mathieu Kerekou. During a
handover ceremony held at the Ministry of Family and Health, she
stated that she would be responsive to the concerns of the poor and
would help them become true partners in Benin's economic
development.

MINISTER OF PRIMARY EDUCATION, LITERACY AND NATIONAL
LANGUAGES
--------------


9. Dr. Christine Ouensavi holds a doctorate in agronomy and has
published many articles on the subject. From 2001 to 2006 she
taught agronomy at the University of Parakou's School of Agronomy.
She received the 2007 UNESCO Female Scientist Prize for her work on
the use of agriculture to generate a stable income for people living
in rural areas in Benin. At 32 years of age, she is the youngest
minister ever appointed since Benin's democratic transition of 1990.
In her first speech, she emphasized the importance of education for
the future of Benin, and how educated people can bring about the
type of positive social and political changes envisioned by
President Yayi.



MINISTER OF HEALTH
--------------


10. Dr. Kessile Tchala, from the Ouake region in northwestern Benin,
is a urologist formerly resident in France. He is a close personal
friend of President Yayi, and one of the so-called "Twelve Apostles"
who were instrumental in helping President Yayi win election.
During his investiture ceremony, he pledged that he would do his
best to improve and modernize Benin's health care system. He is
expected to actively encourage Beninese medical doctors working in
France to return to Benin as a partial solution to the country's
chronic shortage of physicians.

MINISTER DELEGATE FOR PUBLIC WORKS IN THE OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
--------------


11. Mr. Armand Zinzindohou is a civil engineer. He was the former
Director of Environmental Affairs for the departments of Oueme and
Plateau. Prior to his appointment, he was serving as Chief of Staff
to the Minister of Transportation and Public Works. At his first

COTONOU 00000494 003.2 OF 003


public speech upon taking office, Mr. Zinzindohou said that he
would continue the work of his predecessor and would scrupulously
follow his professional code of ethics.


WAGONER