A life of opportunities and challenges

International Development Career in Media and Capacity Development, Governance (Public Administrations Reforms, Decentralization, the fight against corruption), Education.

My most recent positions have been those of Country Director/Chief of Party, Program Director with Internews Network in Liberia and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, managing multimillion US dollars Media Development Programs. My International Development career started with Télé-université in a program that aimed to expand distance education in a dozen countries of Northern, Western, Central Africa, Belgium, Italy and Vietnam, from 1989 until 1994. Then as a Director for Africa Programs in a Montreal-based NGO, Consultant with the World Bank in Congo-Brazzaville and in Albania, then as a UN Volunteer (UNESCO/UNDP) in Laos (Southeast Asia). Among other positions, I was an international civil servant, and a Senior Consultant with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Chief of Party in Rwanda, Media Coordinator for a post-conflict, transitional “Community-based Peace & Reconciliation Initiative” in Burundi funded by the USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives; Consultant in European Union funded programs/assignments, the Belgian Technical Cooperation Agency (BTC/CTB). I have worked in programs/projects funded by USAID, the European Union, United Nations, the World Bank, DfID.

Overall, my international experience spans more than 20 years in 14 countries in Western, Central, Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, North America, and Southeast Europe: Albania, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cameroon, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Laos, Liberia, Mozambique, and Rwanda.

I also enjoyed a fruitful and successful career in Cameroon, as a high level media professional and in political Cabinets, before coming to International Development.

From 2017, I want to improve on what I have been doing in the last 30 years, to explore new opportunities, new ways to decisively bring personal contributions to international development, democracy, peace and governance.

Publication of a collection of:

• A collection of Poetry (Poèmes d’exil) at Éditions CLE, Yaoundé (2009), Cameroon;
• A novel, «Modam» at Monpetitediteur/Publibook in Paris, France (2011);
• And at «Éditions Universitaires européennes Germany (2013), of an essay on rethinking governance beyond Montesquieu and John Locke’s box of the classical three Estates of the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches. I suggest different and innovative ways forward, for citizens’ genuine democratic empowerment in newly democratized countries. Furthermore, a more formal role for the media in true democratic, political dispensation systems. This is an urgent task right now, taking into consideration the “post-truth” and fake news era the world has entered, following the Brexit and US presidential elections of 2016. The first book of this series has been published, while the last two are now under revision.

Apart from the two remaining instalments of the essay in Governance, I intend to write a collection of short stories, and other books on Democracy and Governance, mainly in Africa and Asia.

Postgraduate studies in Montreal, Canada at the Université de Montréal (UdM), Université du Québec à Montreal (UQaM), the Quebec National School of Public Administration (École nationale d’administration publique du Québec-Énap):

• Completion of a Master’s Degree in Sciences (M. Sc) in Organizational Sciences and Communications, with focus on Communications and Public Administration;
• Of a Postgraduate Diploma in International Public Administration, Management and Economics (Diplôme de 2ème cycle nord-américain en administration publique internationale) from the Québec National School of Public Administration (Énap);
• At the Doctoral level, although I was admitted in the second batch in 1988, I was the first to complete the cursus in five years, for a Ph. D in Communications and International Development Studies, from a Joint program in Communications Studies by three Montreal Universities: Université de Montréal, Concordia University and Université du Québec à Montreal (1993);
• Lectureship, Assistant Researcher and International Development, Public Relations positions with the Université de Montréal, du Québec à Montreal and Télé-université, the distance education branch of the Quebec National University Network.

International Development Career in Media and Capacity Development, Governance (Public Administrations Reforms, Decentralization, the fight against corruption, Education) as a Consultant, international civil servant, Chief of Party, contract staff with the World Bank, UNESCO, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives or European Union funded programs/assignments, the Belgian Technical Cooperation Agency (BTC/CTB), in 14 countries: Albania, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Laos, Mozambique, Rwanda;

Postgraduate studies in Montreal, Canada at the Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montreal (UQaM), the Quebec National School of Public Administration (École nationale d’administration publique du Québec-Énap);

• Completion of a Master’s Degree in Sciences (M.Sc) in Organizational Sciences and Communications, with focus on Communications and Public Administration); of a Postgraduate Diploma in International Public Administration, Management and Economics (Diplôme de 2ème cycle en Administration internationale) from the Québec National School of Public Administration (Énap);
• Furthermore, I was the first to complete in five years a PhD in Communications and International Development Studies, from the Joint PhD in Communications Studies by three Montreal Universities: Université de Montreal, Concordia University and Université du Québec à Montreal (1993);
• Lectureship, Assistant Researcher and International Development, Public Relations positions with the Université de Montreal, du Québec à Montreal and Télé-université, the distance education branch of the Quebec National University Network.

Media & Communication Advisor at the prime Minister’s Office (1977-1983), then promoted at the President of the Republic’s civil cabinet (1983-1985). Performance level lauded by the Prime Minister, the Head of State and close collaborators.

• After successfully passing an internal competitive examination within the Cameroon’s Civil S4rvice, I became a Senior Journalist (Journaliste principal, A2 category, the highest in the Civil Service);
• Two years studies in French Public and Private Law, English Commom Law at the Université de Yaoundé;
• Scholarship for further studies in Canada, after successful completion of a competitive examination by the former Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA/ACDI);

• Career as a Print Journalist with the first Cameroon’s national daily newspaper «Cameroon-Tribune» as its Littoral Province Head of Office in Douala, the country’s economic Metropolis and Business hub for all of Central Africa: Management of a team of 6 permanent staff and freelance media professionals, 4 support staff. Production of features, editing of staff and contributiors’ productions, management of distribution and advertisement (1975-1977). High level performance, with increase in the distribution of the newspaper and consequently, of its advertisement revenues.
• Media & Communication Advisor at the Prime Minister’s Office (1977-1983), then promoted at the President of the Republic’s Civil Cabinet (1983-1985). Performance level lauded by the Prime Minister, the Head of State himself, his close collaborators.
• After successfully passing an internal competitive examination within the Cameroon’s Civil Service, I became a Senior Journalist (Journaliste principal, A2 category, the highest in the Civil Service);

Secondary School and University Studies in Yaoundé, Douala (lycée Joss), Yaoundé University’s International Higher School of Media Studies (École supérieure internationale de journalisme de l’Université de Yaoundé), Université de Paris II Assas, African Journalists Training Centre (France), Université de Montreal’s Audiovisual Centre, African Communicators’ Training Program (Montreal-Canada); Urban studies training workshops at Columbia University, New York City, USA. The program included students from 10 Western and Central Africa’s countries, French, Gabonese, Cameroonian, Canadian and US Professors;

• Completion of a B.A in Journalism and Media Studies;

Childhood and primary school studies at Public schools of Somalomo (place of birth), Dimpam (25 km away), Messamena, headtown of the District then, 60 km from Somalomo, Eastern Province, Upper Nyong Division, Cameroon.

• Completion of the First School Leaving Certificate (CEPE – Certificat d’études primaires élémentaires);

• An essay in Public Administration, Communication and Governance in Africa, taking into consideration the social role of this institution in newly formed States, as well as its contribution to good, or bad governance, especially with the new trend of open government and open data.
• Another one on how perceptions of Africa have changed from the independence phase of the 60s’ through different political and economic crises of the 80s-90s, up to now;
• Another one on an often quoted philospher of the Koozime people, Esatern Cameroon, reflecting on the links between traditional, Bantu wisdom and the universal wisdom;
• Short stories about different individuals caught in the cobweb of life;

Full fluency in written, spoken, read French, English; in spoken Bantu grandmother and father’s two tongues; advanced general and practical knowledge in Spanish, Lao language (Southeast Asia), Swahili, Lingala; Basic skills in Kirundi-Kinyarwanda.