Country Representative

Kone Zana, MBA, PhD Côte d'Ivoire

Dr. Kone Zana holds a PhD in International Relations and Diplomacy with a specialization in Economic Diplomacy from the Centre d’Études Diplomatiques et Stratégiques (CEDS) in Paris. A certified expert in Project and Program Monitoring and Evaluation, he has over a decade of experience in designing, implementing, and assessing development projects

As the Founder and Director of the African Center for Expertise and Training (CAEF), he is committed to strengthening institutional and organizational capacities through professional training, research, and technical assistance in project management, local governance, and sustainable development. As a consultant, he has led several major assignments, including the evaluation of the Tele-Cardiology Project with Wake Up Africa (2025), the pilot evaluation of e-supervision and DHIS2 community database applications for Save the Children (2023), the mapping of achievements of the Bagoué Regional Council (2023), and the mid-term evaluation of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Project (PAAEFRECI) (2022).

Formerly the Program Coordinator of the NGO Espoir-Vie, he played a key role in HIV/AIDS prevention and youth counseling initiatives in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, implementing strong monitoring and evaluation systems. His areas of expertise include project and program evaluation, strategic planning, results-based management, humanitarian law, negotiation, and institutional development. Dr. Zana is the President of the International Network of Monitoring and Evaluation Experts and the Ivorian Association of Project Management, and a member of the African Network of Project Management Professionals. A bilingual professional (French and English) with strong analytical and digital skills in tools such as SPSS, Power BI, QGIS, STATA, and KoboCollect, Dr. Koné Zana stands as a leading figure in development management, applied research, and economic diplomacy in Africa.

Since 2015, Dr. Zana has served as the Country Representative of The People’s Fund in Côte d’Ivoire, where he oversees project grants and performance monitoring.