Damien Mama was appointed Minister and Permanent Secretary of the National Steering Committee for Territorial Development Poles in Benin on 4 November 2026. Following the announcement, the new official expressed his gratitude toward the leadership. "It is with deep emotion and a strong sense of duty that I welcome my appointment as Minister, Permanent Secretary of the National Steering Committee for Territorial Development Poles in Benin," Damien Mama stated. He added, "I thank the President of the Republic of Benin, His Excellency Mr. Romuald Wadagni, for the trust he has placed in me." Damien Mama intends to focus on regional growth, noting, "Returning to my country to put this experience to the service of my homeland holds special significance for me."
Professional Background and Qualifications
Damien Mama possesses academic credentials in land use planning and development management. He earned a master's degree in land use planning from the University of Abomey-Calavi and completed a master's degree in development management at Ruhr University Bochum.
Professional experience for the new official includes over 25 years of operational service within the United Nations. During this tenure, he held various roles across multiple locations, including assignments within the UNDP in Togo, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mali. He also served at the UN headquarters in New York and worked with MONUSCO. These positions involved administrative and strategic oversight functions before his return to Benin.
United Nations Leadership Experience
Damien Mama commenced his service as the UNDP Resident Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March 2023. This role involved managing development programs and coordinating institutional support within the country.
António Guterres subsequently appointed Damien Mama to two concurrent positions in July 2026. He assumed the role of Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for MONUSCO. Simultaneously, he served as the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These mandates required oversight of peacekeeping operations and the management of humanitarian response efforts across the region. Damien Mama held these responsibilities until his transition to the National Steering Committee for Territorial Development Poles in Benin.
Strategic Economic Restructuring Plan
Benin organizes its 77 municipalities into six distinct strategic economic zones. These areas are designated as the Northeast, Northwest, Central, Southeast, Southwest, and Grand-Nokoué.
Governance bodies for these territorial development poles are expected to be fully established by December 2026. These administrative entities will oversee the implementation of regional planning and infrastructure initiatives within their respective jurisdictions.
The first priority projects for the territorial development poles are scheduled to commence in the second half of 2027. These initiatives represent the initial phase of the national strategy to promote growth across the designated zones.
