About
A network serving the next African generation
The Canadian Network of African Economists and Statisticians (CNAES) is a Canada-based organization dedicated to mobilizing the skills, experience, and commitment of the African diaspora to strengthen capacity in economics and statistics, while also supporting African students in their academic journey.
The Network aims to provide a structured, collaborative, and impactful platform for training, mentorship, applied research, and initiatives linking Canada and Africa.
Mission
CNAES's mission is to contribute to the training, support, and networking of African talent in economics and statistics by mobilizing diaspora expertise and creating practical bridges between Canada and Africa.
Vision
Our vision is to build a strong, credible, and inclusive network that supports the emergence of a highly skilled African generation equipped with strong quantitative tools and better connected to academic, professional, and research opportunities.
What we do
Pillar 1: Africa
The Network develops training, mentorship, and applied research initiatives for students and young graduates in Africa.
Pillar 2: Canada
The Network establishes welcome, orientation, and support initiatives for African students admitted to Canadian postsecondary institutions.
Why this network?
CNAES was created from the recognition that the African diaspora has strong potential to contribute to training and supporting the next generation, but that this potential is often scattered and insufficiently structured. The Network addresses this need by providing a collective framework to pool expertise, develop practical initiatives, and connect students, researchers, and professionals.
Values
- Excellence
- Solidarity
- Integrity
- Inclusion
- Collaboration
- Impact
Governance
CNAES is governed by a six-member Board of Directors, whose composition is set by the by-laws. The Board provides strategic direction, oversight of activities, and sound governance for the Network.
Members of the Network fall into three statutory categories. Only active members vote at members' meetings and are eligible for the governing bodies.
Presidency
F. Antoine Dedewanou
President
Antoine is an Economic Advisor at the Parliament of Canada where he provides non-partisan research and analysis to Canadian Members of Parliament and Senators.
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Executive committee
Christian Kouakou
Secretary
Christian Kouakou is a health economist. He holds a PhD in Economics from the Université de Sherbrooke. He works as an Evaluation Advisor at Santé Québec.
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Eric Koba
Coordinator – Community Support
Eric Koba is an economist-demographer and PhD candidate at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). He teaches economics.
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Who can join the Network?
- Students
- Recent graduates
- Researchers
- Economists and statisticians
- Diaspora professionals
- Mentors, volunteers, and institutional partners
Our ambition
Through its activities, CNAES aims to become a recognized platform for mobilizing expertise in economics and statistics in support of education, academic guidance, and capacity building.