NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF BENIN PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
Press Release
BIO/3047
NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF BENIN PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
19961029 Biographical NoteAdam Fassassi Yacoubou, the new Permanent Representative of Benin to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
Mr. Yacoubou was Benin's Minister of Trade and Tourism from 1993 to 1995, preparing, negotiating and signing General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade accords on his country's behalf at the establishment of the World Trade Organization. During this period, he also lectured on project development and management at France's École Nationale d'Administration. Since then, Mr. Yacoubou has served as President of the Association of Basic Foodstuffs in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Benin.
Earlier, from 1989 to 1993, Mr. Yacoubou headed the CANEDIS import- export agency and the PANDISHIP international marine insurance corporation in Benin. From 1984 to 1988, he served with the SOCAGRICO import-export group, first as manager of the Groupe Ingénierie Alsace Afrique, and later as founder of the research, consultancy and marketing firm, PROMAFRIQUE. He was assigned by the Centre for Industrial Development in Brussels as a consultant to survey Benin's industrial potential, and was subsequently named Director-General of the SOCAGRICO Group. He supervised the establishment of a soft drinks bottling plant in Benin licensed by Pepsi Cola.
Mr. Yacoubou began his career in 1975 with the Banque Béninoise de Devéloppement, where he served in various capacities, ultimately as counterpart economist of an international consultant in a World Bank-financed project designed to promote small- and medium-sized companies for the Banque de Devéloppement. Between 1975 and 1986, Mr. Yacoubou also held administrative internships in Africa and Canada, and participated in international economic, financial and business-related symposiums in various African countries, Thailand, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom.
Married and the father of four children, Mr. Yacoubou holds a law degree, a master's degree in legal sciences, and a degree in financial management. He is 45 years old.
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