Prof. Ralph O Olaniyan

Prof. R. Omotayo Olaniyan, Member, GIDE Board of Directors; holds PhD. (Econs) from the University of London, UK (International Economic Integration and Development) and MSc. (Econs) from the Prague School of Economics (University of Prague), Czech Republic, specializing in International Economic Relations. He has published extensively and has considerable research and teaching experienceat reputable institutions at both national and international levels. This experience has been complemented with several years of practice of international relations at multilateral level; as diplomat at the United Nations, New York and in Africa. Ralph is the author of 100+ publications including books, monographs and articles in scholarly journals or chapters in books. He is the author of Foreign Aid, Self-reliance and Economic Development in West Africa, Praeger: Connecticut, 1996. Presently, he is the President of R & G Economic Consultants LLC. Prior to this appointment, he served with distinction as the African Union (AU) Regional Delegate to Southern Africa, in Lilongwe, Malawi. He was Senior Economist and Executive Secretary at the Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations, New York, 1992-2006. He was Head of the Division of International Economic Relations, and Research Professor of International Economic Relations, respectively, from 1989 to 1992, at the prestigious Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, 1990/91. As consultant to United Nations(UN) agencies he carried out a number of studies: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) South Africa on Trade mainstreaming into National Development Plans in Lesotho (2010-2011), and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) on Official Development Assistance to Developing Countries (1999), in the review of the implementation of Rio de Janeiro, Agenda 21 on Environment and Development and the Integration of Social issues to Development Policies (2002). Between 1992 and 2006, he was Senior Advisor to AU delegations at several global negotiations on international development, including the annual UN General Assemby, UNCTAD Conferences, World Summit on Social Development, World Summit on Habitat, Conference on Women and Development, International Conference on Financing for Development, and World Summit for Sustainable Development and the Doha Round.