Gérard Kessé Yessé

Executive Profile

Conflict, stabilization, and natural resources governance specialist with 15+ years of experience designing and managing donor-funded programs across West Africa, including Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Niger. Recognized for translating conflict analysis and early warning into practical stabilization, resilience, and governance interventions in fragile and border-area contexts. Extensive experience with USAID, World Bank, GIZ, DANIDA, and the Netherlands Cooperation programs, working at the nexus of security, development, and humanitarian response. Proven ability to engage government institutions, security actors, private-sector stakeholders, and local communities to mitigate resource-related conflicts, strengthen social cohesion, and support inclusive local governance. Experienced regional trainer with applied expertise in DDR, CVE, cross-border governance, and reintegration programming.

Core Competencies

Conflict Analysis & Early Warning • Stabilization & CVE Programming • Program Management in Fragile and Border Regions • Cross-Border Governance & Security • DDR & Reintegration of Ex-Combatants • Capacity Building of Security Forces and Local Authorities • Natural Resource Conflict Mitigation • Community Resilience & Social Cohesion

Selected Achievements

• Trainer, Humanis Expertise and Consulting (2025): Designed and pilot tested innovative training modules on cross-border threats and resilience strategies that were integrated into a master-level border security governance course.
• Project Director, USAID/SRO-funded LCapS Activity, executed by ACSD (Burkina Faso) (2024–2025): Co-designed and led the first national census and OCA survey of local partners for USG assistance under the USAID/SRO Local Capacity Strengthening Activity, assessing 642 organizations across eight regions of Burkina Faso.
• Director, Stabilization and Social Cohesion Component, USAID-funded Inclusive Governance for Resilience (IGR) Project, executed by Creative Associates (Burkina Faso) (2022–2023): 1) Delivered civil documentation to more than 90,000 vulnerable individuals; 2) awarded and managed 54 local grants supporting women’s and youth livelihoods and income generation in fragile communities ; and 3) co-designed (with five local associations) one of the largest web-based platforms that integrated both radio and social media to combat misinformation and promote social cohesion in 26 communes in eight regions of Burkina Faso.
• Program Manager, USAID/OTI-funded Burkina Faso Regional Program (BFRP), executed by Chemonics (Burkina Faso) (2019–2021): Awarded 70+ grants and delivered 180 activities reaching 260,000 beneficiaries; provided technical and strategic support to 38 local partners that focused on youth and women’s empowerment, social cohesion, and food security.
• Program Coordinator, DANIDA-funded Border and Security Management (BSM) Program, executed by Danish Demining Group (DDG) (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) (2014–2019):
• 2014: Led the first evidence-based border security needs assessments in the highly charged Liptako-Gourma tri-border area, which underscored the importance of taking a more integrated approach to border security that addressed some of the priority needs and concerns of the local people (e.g., access to water, land, health, and legal services).
• 2015–2019: Facilitated the design and implementation of development plans for the 10 most at-risk communes.
• 2017: Improved the state-sponsored infrastructure at eight of the most critical borders stations.
• Project Coordinator, DANIDA-funded Community Safety Project, executed by DDG (Côte d’Ivoire) (2013–2014): Created two frameworks that encouraged regular constructive dialogue (over several months) between the local gendarmerie and the local people.
• Rehabilitation Consultant, World Bank-funded Post-Conflict Assistance Project (Côte d’Ivoire) (2012–2013): Recruited by the World Bank to monitor the beneficiaries of the two previous government and donor-funded combatant reinsertion programs in Côte d’Ivoire (e.g., PSCN and PRC).
• Director, Regional, Civic Service Center for the Government of CI-funded Programme de Service Civique Nationale (PSCN) (Côte d’Ivoire) (September 2011–October 2012): Managed nine staff charged with executing two six-month sessions of a new government-sponsored reintegration and vocational training program for youth and ex-combatants that was modeled on the previous program that GIZ had executed in Côte D’Ivoire.
• Deputy Director, the Daloa Regional Service Center and Bouake Regional Monitoring Office for the EU and WB-funded Programme de Reinsertion des Ex-Combatants in Côte d’Ivoire, GIZ (2009–2010): Helped co-develop the new orientation and training models used for this new program, which was eventually scaled up to approximately 11,000 former combatants by the time the war broke out again in the wake of the October 2010 elections; once the war ended in April 2011 this program was taken over by the state.

Education & Certifications

M.S., International Strategy Analysis (Geopolitics and Foresight), Institute of International and Strategic Relations, Paris
B.S., History, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Certifications: PRINCE2; Personal Field Security Training; Natural Resources for Sustainable Development (SDG AcademyX/edX)

Languages & Tools

Fluent: French; Professional: English; Intermediate Professional: Dioula
Tools: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel (advanced), Microsoft PowerPoint, Kobo Toolbox