30.10.2018

Obituary: Death of Dr. Naffet KEITA and Ambroise DAKOUO

It is with great sadness that we learned of the deaths of two of our associates. Dr. Naffet KEITA and Ambroise DAKOUO died in a traffic accident on Monday night (22 October) near Ségou in Mali.The two researchers worked closely with the FES national office in Bamako and the Peace and Security Centre of Competence (PSCC) in Dakar for many years.

Born on 30 November 1968 in Bamako, Dr. Naffet Kéïta was a research teacher at the Department of Studies and Research of Sociology and Anthropology, and the co-director of LMI-MACOTER and the Master SOCDEV. Among other responsibilities and functions, he was an associate member of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council and an associate researcher at the Laboratory of Applied Molecular Biology in charge of anthropological ethics issues. Dr. Kéïta also worked as a technical advisor to the former Ministry of Urban Planning and Urban Policy. He was the head of the development unit in the Prime Minister's Office during the time of former Prime Minister Moussa Mara. He was a member of the Malian delegation to the negotiations of the Algiers Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation. Within that context, he carried out a study in 2017 for the FES Bamako office on "Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali resulting from the Algiers process. Between euphoria and scepticism: traces of peace ". Dr. Kéïta also participated in activities organized by the FES PSCC and the FES offices in Mali, Nigeria and Dakar on several occasions.

Ambroise Dakouo was an international strategy analyst born on 7 December 1982. He graduated from the Institut des Relations Internationales et Stratégiques in Paris, France, and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Since 2013, Ambroise Dakouo has been the National Coordinator of the Alliance for Rebuilding Governance in Africa (ARGA-Mali), a pan-African organization present in 16 countries. Within this context and in his capacity as an expert in security sector reforms, Mr. DAKOUO has collaborated extensively with the FES in Bamako on security sector governance in Mali. A week ago (15-16 October 2018), Ambroise participated in the 2nd regional conference on the Sahel-Sahara Dialogue organised by FES PSCC on Gorée Island. As a panellist on security sector reforms, he distinguished himself by his wit and prudence. He made himself known as a very appreciative and empathetic person, and was appreciated by all participants. Dr. Naffet Kéïta was married and father of 3 children, including 2 daughters. His travelling companion, Ambroise Dakouo, was also married and had two children. Their death is a great loss. They will be missed.

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Peace and Security Centre of Competence Sub-Saharan Africa

Point E, Rue de Fatick x Boulevard de l'Est,
Residence Bity Lokho, 6th floor
B.P. 15 416
Dakar - Fann

+221 33 859 20 02

info(at)fes-pscc.org