Albert Tevoedjre

Professor Albert Tevoedjre is the Special Envoy for the United Nations Secretary-General in charge of Ivory Coast since 2003. Before his current responsibility, Professor Tevoedjre was the Chair of the Commission on the "Millennium for Africa" project, which completed its report in May 2002. The Commission, with the support of the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, aimed at getting eminent Africans in all walks of life to reflect on the major economic, social, cultural, scientific, and political challenges facing the continent at the dawn of the Third Millennium.

Professor Tevoedjre has also played a prominent role in his Government, the Republic of Benin. He was member of the High Council of the Republic in 1991 and then deputy at the National Assembly between 1991 and 1996 where he was President of the Commission for External Relations, Cooperation, Defense and Security. From 1996 and 1999, he was Minister for Planing, Economic Rehabilitation and Employment Promotion. In the absence of the Head of State, Professor Tevoedjre often assumed the powers of the President of the Republic in the capacity of the "Head of Government."

A political scientist by training, Professor Tevoedjre has written and published several papers and articles on issues pertaining to Africa's political, economics, and social development. In 1980, his book entitled Poverty, Wealth of Mankind was awarded the "Prix de la vie économique" in Paris. In addition, he has received several honorary titles in the national orders of many countries as well as the Medal of the Council of Europe, the Palmes Académiques Françaises and the Médaille Internationale Humanitaire (International Humanitarian Medal).