VZCZCXRO3683
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0494/01 1860949
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 
 
 
¶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