Makhtar Thiam

Makhtar, a passionate advocate for business development in Africa, has over 30 years of multi-sectoral fisheries and agriculture experience from work in the private sector and from overseeing donor programs in Senegal and West Africa. As Director of the Dakar office of USAID's West Africa Trade Hub (WATH) project under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from 2007 to 2013, he liaised with senior officials of export promotion agencies, regional and local government ministries, regional organizations, donors, private sector, and the U.S. Embassy and federal agencies (Peace Corps, USDA, APHIS, etc.). Within this framework, he has created business opportunities and provided technical assistance and training, particularly in food safety (HACCP, FDA, labelling, certification), to a wide variety of export-ready companies in various sectors in 21 countries in West and Central Africa.

 

He has worked on cross-cutting issues of facilitation and improvement of the trade environment in the West African sub-region and helped set up the Observatory of Abnormal Practices to fight against corruption on the corridors and various alliances for sustainable development. He has produced several studies on value chains of seafood products in Senegal, on the financing of perishable goods, and launched the first sustainable fishing label in West Africa (Beg Ellek). He holds an MS Certificate on pollution of water and air from the University of Paris VI, JUSSIEU, (France), an Executive MBA with Delta International University (DIU) of New Orleans and is completing an Executive Doctorate in Business administration with the Paul Valery University of Montpellier (France). He is fluent in French, English, Wolof, fair in Fulani, and Spanish.