Mr. DEDI-NADJE completed his studies with an Engineering Diploma in Water, Forest and Environmental Management at the Félix Houphouët Boigny Polytechnic Institute in Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast in 1996. He followed several professional courses in economic ethics and Sustainable Development (EEDD) Animal Production (DEA) and obtained several certificates in Pedagogy, Fisheries Policies, Advanced Aquaculture, Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of Fisheries, Governance and Leadership in Ocean Management (ABNJ).

At the Professional level, Mr. DEDI began his career as a Coordinator of professional training projects in fishing and aquaculture in continental water. Thus carried out several projects in the fishing communities bordering the large artificial lake of Côte d'Ivoire.

In 2002, he was promoted to National Director of Fisheries, he contributed to the implementation of the national fisheries policy in Côte d'Ivoire, to the negotiation of a fishing agreement with the EU, to the coordination of funded regional projects by technical and financial partners and took part, as representative of Côte d'Ivoire, in several international meetings (ICCAT, IWC).

From 2007 to 2022, stationed in Tema, Ghana, Mr. DEDI developed very enriching regional and international experience, as the first executive secretary of the West-Central Gulf of Guinea Fisheries Committee (CPCO), a regional body. Fisheries (ORP). In this position, he contributed to the establishment of this regional institution and its daily management. Demonstrating remarkable leadership in the conduct and success of numerous regional and sub-regional projects, as coordinator of the EU-ACP FISH II, PESCAO Component 2 -WATF, and FAO TCP 3215 projects. He is at the origin of several regional initiatives such as the joint fisheries patrol operations to combat IUU fishing in the CPCO area and the regional closure of fisheries between Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, the implementation of the FAO EAF Nansen project; participation in international conferences held in 2007 and 2024, notably: CAMFA 1 and 2, COFI, Blue justice, UN Oceans Conference. He also contributed to the development of fisheries and aquaculture policies of the African Union and ECOWAS for coherence and strengthening institutional collaboration in the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Africa.

Vice-president of Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF) until 2016, he also helped develop a strong awareness strategy for coastal countries in West Africa to combat illegal fishing. He has been an active member of the AU-NEPAD team for establishing the "African Voice in Fisheries" at FAO COFI since 2009 and facilitated the establishment of the West Africa Working Group for an approach to multi-agency and international fight against illegal fishing.

Fully bilingual, Mr. DEDI has developed strong skills in the following areas: Fisheries Governance, sustainable development of fisheries; planning and management; fight against illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing; Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS); participatory governance; training; and negotiations of Fisheries Agreements and other international instruments (PSMA) and promote regional cooperation; as much experience that he uses with his friends and partners to serve the sub-region through the Oceans Friends International initiative.

With more than a decade of experience in oceans governance, law of the sea, oceans policy, international maritime law and marine environmental law, regional fisheries bodies (Fisheries committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission), fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) and measures to combat Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, Ms. Koutob hold three master’s Degrees, in International and Comparative International Law from University of Limoges (France), in Law and Security of Maritime and Oceanic Activities from the University of Nantes (France) and in Corporate Law. Currently pursuing her PHD, Ms Koutob serves as an MCS and legal expert in West and Central Africa providing support for the implementation of programs covering at least ten (10) countries funded by development aid agencies and international organizations.

Ms Koutob conducted the first study on the estimation of IUU fishing in Senegal, contributed to the study on catch reconstructions in Senegal and in Togo and led a study on the role of Civil society in Senegal’s fisheries sector. She is an author and a contributor on a book titles ‘The Environment, Critical Policies and Legal Frameworks: An African Perspective, Chapter 8: Fisheries governance and Illegal fishing in West Africa’.

In addition to her regional experience, Ms Koutob has been involved in various processes at the international level including participating in discussion at the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO Committee of Fisheries (COFI), United Nations Our Oceans Conference, Declaration of Torremolinos on the ratification of the Cape town Agreement and the ILO C188 convention, Blue Justice Initiative etc..