02 July 2026 – Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire
Ladies and gentlemen members of the Executive Board, dear colleagues,
It is with deep energy and shared determination that I take the floor today, for my first Executive Board as Secretary General of our organization. We are ushering in a new era: one where efficiency, transparency and continuous improvement are not just words, but the common thread in every decision we make.
Since I took office six months ago, our work has focused on three clear priorities: making APPO more visible and influential, meeting the minimum requirements for AEB, and undertaking an ambitious restructuring to prepare the Organization for the challenges of tomorrow. These three areas are complementary: visibility gives us credibility, AEB compliance gives us access to financial and institutional levers, and restructuring gives us the agility to turn intent into impact.
On visibility: we have increased our communication initiatives, strengthened our relations with the continental media and launched targeted platforms and events to raise awareness of our positions and priorities. These actions are starting to bear fruit: our message is spreading more widely, our meetings are attracting more key players, and APPO is now invited to the table where strategic decisions are made for African energy.
Regarding AEB: we have mobilized the central services and our partners to reach the minimum required which opens the way to new financial and partnership opportunities. Reaching this milestone is not an end in itself, it is a guarantee: the guarantee that APPO will now be able to carry more weight, finance relevant projects and fully assume its continental role.
On restructuring: we have initiated the restructuring project to modernize our processes, clarify responsibilities and improve our operational capabilities. This project aims to make the Organization more responsive, more efficient and better equipped to support the energy transitions and the needs of our Member Countries. The restructuring will be carried out in a transparent, inclusive and progressive manner, in order to ensure the buy-in of all stakeholders.
I want to be clear about what I expect from this Executive Board today: concrete decisions, clear orientations and a collective commitment to transform our ambitions into measurable results. 
Concretely, I propose that we:
– Validate the priority timeline for the implementation of the restructuring, with milestones of 3, 6 and 12 months;
– Confirm the human and financial resources needed to consolidate our AEB compliance and exploit new opportunities;
– Approved a strengthened communications strategy for the next 12 months, including an increased digital presence and targeted media partnerships.
I know that change requires courage and rigor. I also know that APPO is full of talent and experts who can turn challenges into opportunities. I therefore call on you to be bold and constructive: let us support the necessary reforms, put in place clear indicators to monitor our progress, and let us take responsibility for the results together.
In conclusion—and without remaining on words—allow me to set out a simple but demanding principle: every decision taken here must aim at impact, simplicity of execution and transparency in communication with our Member States. If we remain true to this principle, I am convinced that, in the coming months, APPO will be more visible, more credible and more effective.
Thank you for your trust. I am ready to listen to your comments, your priorities and your recommendations so that, together, we can turn this ambition into reality.
Depuis ma prise de fonctions il y a six mois, notre action s’est concentrée sur trois priorités claires : rendre l’APPO plus visible et influente, satisfaire les exigences minimales pour la AEB, et engager une restructuration ambitieuse pour préparer l’Organisation aux défis de demain. Ces trois axes sont complémentaires : la visibilité nous donne de la crédibilité, la conformité à la AEB nous donne accès aux leviers financiers et institutionnels, et la restructuration nous donne l’agilité nécessaire pour transformer l’intention en impact.
Je sais que le changement réclame du courage et de la rigueur. Je sais aussi que l’APPO regorge de talents et d’experts capables de transformer des défis en opportunités. Je vous appelle donc à faire preuve d’audace constructive : soutenons les réformes nécessaires, mettons en place des indicateurs clairs pour suivre nos progrès, et assumons ensemble la responsabilité des résultats.
