Aurélien Agbénonci (born 20 October 1958) is a

Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...

ese diplomat who served in the government of Benin as

Minister of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...

from 2016 to 2023. Previously he was Deputy

Special Representative of the Secretary-General A special representative of the Secretary-General is a highly respected expert who has been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General, Secretary-General of the United Nations to represent them in meetings with heads of state on critical huma ...

for the

United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (also called MINUSCA, which is an initialism of its French name Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations unies pour la stabilisation en C ...

(MINUSCA).

Education

Agbénonci earned graduate degrees in international trade law from the University of Paris X Nanterre and in institutional development, governance and environmental sciences from the

University of Dakar Cheikh Anta Diop University (), also known as the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, is a university in Dakar, Senegal. It is named after the Senegalese physicist, historian and anthropologist Cheikh Anta Diop and has an enrollment of over 60, ...

in Senegal. He also holds a master's degree in business law from the University of Dakar.

Career

Prior to his career with the United Nations, Agbénonci was Senior Programme Coordinator and Chief of Staff at the Pan–African Social Prospects Centre in Benin, and worked in the Faculty of Law at the University of Nanterre in France. He has served throughout Africa, including as Deputy Resident Representative of the

United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. The UNDP emphasizes on developing local capacity towar ...

(UNDP) in

Côte d’Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest city and ...

, from 1999 to 2003, and

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

, from 1996 to 1999. He was United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in

Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...

, from 2008 to 2011, and Congo, from 2003 to 2008. Agbénonci was the Humanitarian Coordinator, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in

Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...

from 2012 to 2013. Agbénonci was appointed Deputy Special Representative, as well as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and the UNDP Resident Representative, by

United Nations Secretary-General The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or UNSECGEN) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of ...

Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon (born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was the South Korean minister ...

on 25 April 2014. When

Patrice Talon Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon (born 1 May 1958) is a Beninese politician and businessman who has been president of Benin since 6 April 2016. Early life and career Talon is of Fon origin and was born in Ouidah. He descends from slave tra ...

took office as President of Benin on 6 April 2016, he appointed Agbénonci as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agbenonci, Aurelien Living people University of Paris alumni Cheikh Anta Diop University alumni 1958 births Beninese officials of the United Nations Ministers of foreign affairs of Benin Beninese expatriates in France Beninese expatriates in Senegal Beninese expatriates in Ivory Coast Beninese expatriates in Cameroon 21st-century Beninese politicians People from Porto-Novo