“Upon proposal of the French State, Mrs Anne-Claire Legendre was appointed member of the Board of Directors and elected President of the Institut du Monde Arabe. She becomes the first woman to preside over the IMA,” the institution said in a statement issued following a meeting of its Board of Directors.
Mrs Anne-Claire Legendre “has the experience, qualities and strategic vision necessary to assume these eminent responsibilities,” French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot had stated shortly beforehand when announcing his intention to propose the French diplomat to the Board of Directors, which met earlier in the day to designate the new presidency of the IMA.
A 46-year-old career diplomat, Mrs Legendre is currently adviser to the Presidency of the Republic for North Africa and the Middle East, having previously served notably as spokesperson for the Quai d’Orsay.
According to its statement, the IMA indicated that as it approaches its 40th anniversary, the new presidency will prioritise the implementation of an ambitious reform: “modernisation of governance, a clearer and more efficient organisation, restoration of a sustainable financial trajectory and strengthening of ethical rules.”
“The Institut du Monde Arabe thus intends to pursue its development and assert its unique role in serving dialogue between France, Europe and the societies of the contemporary Arab world,” the statement concluded.
The Board of Directors of the Institut du Monde Arabe is composed of 14 members appointed for three years, evenly divided between France and the Arab countries.
On the French side, it includes representatives designated notably by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs as well as qualified personalities; on the Arab side, it mainly comprises ambassadors accredited in Paris, including that of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Editorial team/le7tv