Jean Nkuete
Encyclopedia
Jean Nkuete is a Cameroon
ian politician and economist who was Executive Secretary of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) from 1999 to 2006 and has served in the government of Cameroon since September 2006; currently he is Deputy Prime Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development.
ethnic group, was born at Balessing in Menoua Department. He received his higher education in Italy
from 1963 to 1969 and then returned to Cameroon, where he began working at the Ministry of Planning in 1969. He was Head of the Department of General Planning from August 1969 to 1972 and Deputy Director of Planning and Regional Development from August 1974 to 1975. Nkuete was then appointed to work under Prime Minister Paul Biya
as Director of Economic and Technical Affairs in 1975, and subsequently he was Technical Adviser to the Cabinet of the Prime Minister from October 1977 to September 1981. Nkuete was Deputy Director-General of PARIBAS-Cameroon Bank from September 1981 to April 1983.
After Biya became President, he appointed Nkuete as Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidency, with the rank of Minister, on April 13, 1983. Considered "Biya's most trusted associate", Nkuete was promoted to the post of Secretary-General of the Government on November 21, 1986. As Secretary-General of the Government, with the rank of Minister, Nkuete was responsible for coordinating ministries. He was said to have a "bad public image" at that time. After two years as Secretary-General of the Government, he left the post when he was appointed by the Governor of the Bank of Central African States
(BEAC) to replace Simon Bassilekin as Director of the BEAC's Douala
Agency on December 1, 1988. He worked as BEAC's Douala Director from 1988 to 1999 before becoming Executive Secretary of CEMAC in 1999. After seven years at CEMAC, Biya appointed him to the Cameroonian government as Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development on September 22, 2006.
In a cabinet reshuffle on September 7, 2007, Nkuete was promoted to the rank of Deputy Prime Minister, while remaining in charge of agriculture and rural development; he was installed as Deputy Prime Minister on September 10.
and remained in these positions when the party was transformed into the Cameroonian People's Democratic Movement (RDPC) in 1985. He left the Political Bureau in 1989, but remained a member of the Central Committee.
On 4 April 2007, Biya, in his capacity as National President of the RDPC, appointed Nkuete as the RDPC's National Secretary for Economic and Social Affairs and Employment. During the campaign for the July 2007 parliamentary and municipal elections
, Nkuete was a member of the RDPC's Central Campaign Committee; he was also a Vice-President of the RDPC Provincial Campaign Committee in West Province.
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian politician and economist who was Executive Secretary of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) from 1999 to 2006 and has served in the government of Cameroon since September 2006; currently he is Deputy Prime Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Political career
Nkuete, a Roman Catholic belonging to the BamilekeBamileke
The Bamileke is a folk whose native ancestral area is in the western highlands of Cameroon's West Province, west of the Noun River and southeast of the Bamboutos Mountains and in the Moungo region of the Littoral, Southwest, and Centre Provinces. They are a part of the Semi-Bantu ethnic groups...
ethnic group, was born at Balessing in Menoua Department. He received his higher education in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
from 1963 to 1969 and then returned to Cameroon, where he began working at the Ministry of Planning in 1969. He was Head of the Department of General Planning from August 1969 to 1972 and Deputy Director of Planning and Regional Development from August 1974 to 1975. Nkuete was then appointed to work under Prime Minister Paul Biya
Paul Biya
Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime...
as Director of Economic and Technical Affairs in 1975, and subsequently he was Technical Adviser to the Cabinet of the Prime Minister from October 1977 to September 1981. Nkuete was Deputy Director-General of PARIBAS-Cameroon Bank from September 1981 to April 1983.
After Biya became President, he appointed Nkuete as Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidency, with the rank of Minister, on April 13, 1983. Considered "Biya's most trusted associate", Nkuete was promoted to the post of Secretary-General of the Government on November 21, 1986. As Secretary-General of the Government, with the rank of Minister, Nkuete was responsible for coordinating ministries. He was said to have a "bad public image" at that time. After two years as Secretary-General of the Government, he left the post when he was appointed by the Governor of the Bank of Central African States
Bank of Central African States
The Bank of Central African States is a central bank that serves six central African countries which form the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa:*Cameroon*Central African Republic*Chad*Equatorial Guinea*Gabon*Republic of the Congo...
(BEAC) to replace Simon Bassilekin as Director of the BEAC's Douala
Douala
Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. Home to Cameroon's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Airport, it is the commercial capital of the country...
Agency on December 1, 1988. He worked as BEAC's Douala Director from 1988 to 1999 before becoming Executive Secretary of CEMAC in 1999. After seven years at CEMAC, Biya appointed him to the Cameroonian government as Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development on September 22, 2006.
In a cabinet reshuffle on September 7, 2007, Nkuete was promoted to the rank of Deputy Prime Minister, while remaining in charge of agriculture and rural development; he was installed as Deputy Prime Minister on September 10.
Party positions
Nkuete was a member of the Central Committee and the Political Bureau of the ruling Cameroon National UnionCameroon National Union
The Cameroon National Union was Cameroon's sole legal political party until 1990...
and remained in these positions when the party was transformed into the Cameroonian People's Democratic Movement (RDPC) in 1985. He left the Political Bureau in 1989, but remained a member of the Central Committee.
On 4 April 2007, Biya, in his capacity as National President of the RDPC, appointed Nkuete as the RDPC's National Secretary for Economic and Social Affairs and Employment. During the campaign for the July 2007 parliamentary and municipal elections
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Cameroon on 22 July 2007, with some polls held again on 30 September 2007. 1,274 candidates stood for the 180 seats in the National Assembly, with 41 parties participating...
, Nkuete was a member of the RDPC's Central Campaign Committee; he was also a Vice-President of the RDPC Provincial Campaign Committee in West Province.