Pierre Goudiaby Atépa

Biography

Born on 30 June 1947 in Ziguinchor in Casamance, Pierre Goudiaby Atepa is a Senegalese engineer and architect of international renown who graduated from the prestigious Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York with a degree in Building Sciences. Mr Goudiaby is known for his innovative and progressive achievements in the field of architecture, planning, urbanism and environmental enhancement for a healthy living environment. A successful entrepreneur who has founded several companies in various sectors, he is an African benchmark of success for a man whose holistic vision, hard work and conception of development embraces a pan-African approach. Mr Atepa has designed and built many major projects, including the BCEAO headquarters and its annex, the ECOWAS headquarters in Lomé (Togo), the African Renaissance Monument and the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar, the international airports of Banjul (Gambia) and Freetown (Sierra Leone), and the Place de la Nation in N'Djamena (Chad), to name a few. Mr. Atepa has received numerous awards for his work, including the Grand Cross of the National Lion Order. He was distinguished by the African Business Council Forum for his ambitious sub-regional project of the "New Steel and Aluminium Road" with the trophy of "The industrialisation of Africa".

His commitment goes beyond architecture. Indeed, he campaigns for the economic, social and environmental development of Africa. A founding member of various organisations such as the World Bank's Advisory Council for Africa and the India-Africa Foundation supported by the African Union, he was recently appointed head of the Senegalese Investors Club (Cis). Furthermore, Pierre Goudiaby Atepa is a fervent defender of education in Africa, particularly for young girls. His foundation, established in 1998, provides scholarships and grants to help young Africans pursue their education, as well as programmes to support emerging African artists and musicians. In partnership with educational institutions, the Foundation also provides innovative and quality learning programmes for children and youth in Africa. Mr Atepa sees education as a key tool to break the cycle of poverty, combat gender inequality and promote African expertise; hence his commitment to working with stakeholders such as the African Union to make new information technologies a tool for real economic growth in Africa. In the same vein, Mr Atepa is involved in the ongoing reflection to make vocational training a priority for higher education. Pierre Goudiaby Atepa has contributed significantly to the development of architecture, urbanism and economy in Africa and in the world. His work is a source of inspiration for future generations. In a twist of fate, the edition of eLearning Africa 2023 is in line with Mr ATEPA's vision of building Africa's new intelligentsia together.