Léonard WANTECHKON

Acting Director of Training and Research

Léonard Wantchékon is a Professor at New York University (NYU) and the founding director of IERPE. He holds a doctorate degree in economics from Northwestern University in Illinois and a Masters in economics from Université Laval in Canada. Before joining NYU's faculty in 2001, he taught at Yale University from 1995 to 2001 and conducted research at the Center for International Studies at Princeton University from 2000 to 2001. Since 2002, he has been the editor in chief of the Journal of African Development.

Professor Wantchékon is the author of numerous articles in political and economic development theory in scientific reviews such as the Quarterly Journal of Economics, American Political Science Review, World Politics, Journal of Theoretical Politics, Comparative Political Studies and Constitutional Political Economy.

Yacine BIO-TCHANE

Project Coordinator

IERPE’s project coordinator holds a bachelor degree in economics and a Masters degree in development management. Before joining IERPE, Yacine worked on key issues in policy analysis, reforms in public financial management throughout Africa, and managed and evaluated projects. She also participated in elaborating the strategic plan of an international institution. Her research interests are in public financial and aid management and social sectors such as education, health and infrastructure.

Azizou Chabi IMOROU

Research Associate

Azizou holds a doctorate degree in scoio-anthorpology and a Masters degree in population studies. He has conducted field research for several years in areas pertinent to the well functioning of the State in West Africa. His research interests are in trade-unionism, public policy, education, the State, AND public service delivery. He has strong ties with various researchers throughout the continent.

Elfried Grita F. FATON

Research Associate

Elfried is a pure product of IERPE. She is a graduate of the first class of the Institute’s Masters in Public economics and Applied Statistics (MEPSA). She also holds a Masters in mathematics. After some experience in teaching, Elfried joined IERPE’s research department where she analyses public policy, manages development projects and scientific research.

K. Florentin MONKOTAN

Research Associate and Administrator of the project IERPE/Afrobarometer

Florentin is an economist in human resources. He has used his expertise in several consultancy projects, collected and analysed specific socio-economic data (health, demography, education, etc.), conducted studies on the micro and macroeconomic effects on policies in demography, health, education, employment, etc. Florentin has also taught. His centers of interest at IERPE are in education and health economics, labor economics, and policy analysis for poverty reduction, growth and development.

Armande GNINANFON

National Partner, Afrobarometer

Armande Mèdessè GNINANFON Is an engineer statistician economist. She has conducted research at IERPE since March 2005 and has contributed to the establishment of the Masters program in Public Economics and Applied Statistics (MEPSA). Armande has also participated in launching the first two summer schools of francophone countries of the Afrobarometer network in Cotonou. Throughout these past five years, she has fully contributed to research projects at a national scale in areas such as education, health, governance, democracy, households’ living standards, crime, rural electrification, etc. She has acquired experience in evaluating poverty reduction policy through her participation in poverty reduction strategies in Benin. She is presently one of the respondents to the Afrobarometer network within IERPE.  Her centers of interest are in development economics, inequalities, poverty, public policy, elaboration of national development policy, and strategic planning.