Rigobert Roger Andely
Rigobert Roger Andely | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 7, 1953 Mossaka, Republic of the Congo |
| Occupation(s) | Economist, central banking expert, politician |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Known for | Vice-Governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), Minister of Finance of the Republic of Congo, Chairman of Sino-Congolese Bank for Africa (BSCA.Bank), Chairman of Regulatory Authority for Public Procurement (ARMP) |
Rigobert Roger Andely (born June 7, 1953) is a Congolese economist and central banking expert with a focus on monetary and banking economics. He held the position of Vice-Governor at the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) between 1998 and 2002, served as Congo-Brazzaville’s Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2005, and resumed his role as BEAC Vice-Governor from 2005 until 2010.
Presently, he leads the Board of Directors at the Sino-Congolese Bank for Africa (BSCA.Bank) and oversees the Regulatory Authority for Public Procurement (ARMP) in Congo-Brazzaville as its chairman.
Education
Originating from Mossaka, Andely completed his primary education in Lébango and Etoumbi before attending middle school at Collège de Boundji in Cuvette. In 1973, he earned a French baccalaureate specializing in business management from the State Technical High School located in Brazzaville.
He enrolled at the University of Brazzaville in 1973 and graduated at the top of his class with a Master’s degree in Economics by 1977. Following this, he pursued advanced studies in monetary and financial economics at Clermont-Ferrand University in France. Afterward, he joined the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) in Paris and graduated as the leading student from BEAC’s Training Center for Managerial Personnel in 1979. Upon assignment to BEAC’s headquarters in Yaoundé, he was appointed head of Monetary Analysis and Statistics. In 1982, he obtained a doctorate specializing in monetary and financial economics.
International Monetary Fund
In July 1987, Andely was seconded to the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, where he served as Desk Economist for Benin and Acting Economist for both the Ivory Coast and Togo. During this tenure, he completed his doctoral dissertation titled “Neoliberal Monetary and Financial Strategy for Development: Application to Sub-Saharan Africa,” which he successfully defended with highest honors in 1988.
Return to the BEAC
Upon returning to BEAC headquarters in 1990, Andely was appointed Deputy Director of Research and Forecasting. He spearheaded four key monetary reforms that continue to underpin BEAC’s framework:
- integration of monetary programming aligning Central Bank initiatives within broader macroeconomic contexts;
- implementation of indirect instruments for monetary policy;
- transition from direct bank advances to reliance on money market instruments;
- initiation of foundational financial market research that paved the way for establishing the Central Africa Stock Exchange.
Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Budget
At age 45, Andely was promoted to Vice-Governor of BEAC in 1998. In August 2002, he assumed the role of Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Budget for the Republic of Congo. During his ministerial tenure, he led pivotal negotiations with both the Paris and London debt relief clubs that substantially diminished Congo-Brazzaville’s external debt obligations. He also oversaw repayment strategies addressing significant domestic debt, resolved outstanding salary arrears for civil servants, secured funding for the Imboulou hydroelectric project, and introduced reforms aimed at enhancing transparency and governance to foster economic development.
Return to the BEAC
Following a three-year tenure as Minister of Finance for Congo-Brazzaville, Andely reassumed his position as Vice-Governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) in February 2005. In 2010, he stepped down from this role after a directive from the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC) Heads of State, prompted by complications related to poorly managed BEAC investment funds overseen by Société Générale, although he was not directly responsible for those investment decisions.
In 2011, President Denis Sassou Nguesso appointed Andely as the Head of the Regulatory Authority for Public Procurement. By 2012, he became an Advisor to the International Monetary Fund’s Advisory Group focused on Sub-Saharan Africa.
Andely led the task force in 2014 that founded the Sino-Congolese Bank for Africa, which commenced operations on July 1, 2015, with its headquarters in Brazzaville. He currently holds the position of Chairman on its Board of Directors (BSCA.Bank).
Honors and awards
For his significant contributions toward Africa’s development, Andely has been honored with various distinctions, including Orders of Merit from Ivory Coast, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and being named Grand Officier de l’Ordre du Mérite by Congo.
Academic service and work
Andely frequently delivers lectures at the Center for the Study and Research on International Development (CERDI) at Clermont-Ferrand University in France. He has authored numerous articles in both French and English addressing topics such as economics, monetary policy, and banking—especially featured in BEAC’s “Research and Statistics Bulletin.” Moreover, he participates as a member of the strategy committee for the Foundation for the Study and Research of International Development (FERDI).
He is fluent in both English and French.
Personal life
Married with ten children, Andely has a passion for nature and manages safou plantations located approximately 45 kilometers from Brazzaville. He is also an enthusiastic reader of history and maintains a keen interest in Congolese as well as American country music.