Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COTONOU267
2009-06-25 10:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Cotonou
Cable title:  

BENIN: BIOGRAPHIC NOTE ON THE NEW MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR BN 
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VZCZCXRO8893
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0267 1761059
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251059Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0985
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1473
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0447
UNCLAS COTONOU 000267 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W ACOOK
LONDON FOR PETER LORD
PARIS FOR BKANEDA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: BIOGRAPHIC NOTE ON THE NEW MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND
FINANCE

REF: COTONOU 254

UNCLAS COTONOU 000267

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W ACOOK
LONDON FOR PETER LORD
PARIS FOR BKANEDA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: BIOGRAPHIC NOTE ON THE NEW MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND
FINANCE

REF: COTONOU 254


1. Per Reftel, this cable provides further biographic details on
Idriss Liassou Daouda, the newly appointed Minister of Economy and
Finance.


2. From 2007, until his appointment as Minister of Economy and
Finance, Idriss Liassou Daouda, served on the Presidential Council
for Investment and was Advisor for Benin's Transitional Postal and
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, both chaired by President
Yayi. He was also Financial Advisor to President Yayi.


3. Daouda started his career in 1977 as a young banker at the
Central Bank of West African States' (BCEAO) Headquarters, in Dakar,
Senegal, where he gradually held leading positions including Head of
the Treasury Division, Head of the Issuance Division and Senior
Economist. From 1996 to 1998 he was the Head of the Main Agency of
the BCEAO in Cotonou. In 1998, he was appointed National Director
for this bank until his retirement in 2006. He also served in 2006
as Governor Alternate on the IMF Board of Governors.


4. Daouda sits on several financial institutions' Boards of
Directors including the National Commission on Debts (CNE),the
National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis (INSAE),the
Autonomous Redemption Fund (CAA) and the National Security Fund for
Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (FONAGA). Together with the West
African Development Bank (BOAD),Investment and Community
Development Bank (BIDC) and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated
(ETI),Daouda established, a company devoted to the creation of a
regional airline company (ASKY). He holds a four-year Degree
(Maitrise) in Management from the University of Paris IV Dauphine,
and postgraduate degrees in Business Management and Finance,
respectively. He is about sixty and is divorced.


5. The new Minister of Economy and Finance is said to possess good
managerial and organizational skills. He is depicted as a man of
method, a discrete and rigorous banker whose areas of expertise
cover economic, monetary, and financial issues as well as banking.
On June 18, 2009, at the official handover ceremony in Cotonou,
Daouda committed himself to increasing Benin's economic performance
by reducing exceptional public expenditure; improving the
computerized management of government spending; developing a
one-stop businesses licensing project; and fostering
results-oriented financial management.


6. COMMENT: As a technical appointee, Daouda will perform well if he
does not give in to the lure of politicians. He has no political
affiliation so far. If he chooses to enter politics, it might
distract him from efficiently carrying out his responsibilities,
which may lead him to commit professional blunders like his
predecessor (Reftel). However, to avoid possible conflicts of
interests while holding his current office, and a point in his
favor, he reportedly resigned from the financial institutions where
he was on the Boards of Directors. END OF COMMENT

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