Alain Ayadokoun is NDI's resident director in Senegal.  He first worked with NDI as a program officer from 1999-2003, covering a number of programs in West Africa and Rwanda. He subsequently had an illustrious career of over 17 years with the United Nations, Department of Political Affairs, serving as Chief Technical Expert and senior elections expert in a number of countries in West and Central Africa. Alain also worked for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in several country offices in West and Central Africa. In 2018, Alain joined the Foreign Service of his home country, Benin, at the rank of Ambassador and Deputy Director of Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and served in that capacity for three years.