Dominican, Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, has been appointed the new president of the World Maritime University (WMU) in Sweden.
She is expected to assume office in July.
She is the first woman and the first person from a developing country to head the institution.
The appointment was announced by Chancellor of the WMU, Koji Sekimiz, last week.
Dr. Doumbia-Henry is presently Director of the International Labour Standards Department, of the International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland.
In announcing the appointment Sekimiz said the incoming president has served the United Nations with distinction.
“Dr. Doumbia-Henry has served the UN system with distinction for many years and as Director of the International Labour Standards Department of the ILO she was instrumental in developing and working with governments and the shipowners’ and seafarers’ organizations to help ensure effective national legal implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006,” he said. “She has had a long standing commitment to the maritime sector and to education, beginning with her doctoral research on IMO Conventions. In addition, she has an excellent knowledge of the needs of developing countries and the difficulties which they may encounter in implementing and enforcing the provisions of maritime transport related multilateral treaties. I am delighted that we have been able to secure such a distinguished and able individual to steer the WMU as it embarks on a new and exciting era and I wish her, and the University, every success in the future.”
Dr. Doumbia-Henry was born in Mahaut to Ilma and Elkin Henry, a former parliamentarian.
She attended the Convent High School and briefly taught there before leaving the island to study.
She began her career at the University of the West Indies, Barbados, as a lecturer in law.
She worked with the Iran-US Claims Tribunal in The Hague, The Netherlands and then joined the ILO in 1986.
She served as a senior lawyer of the ILO as well as in other management positions before being appointed Director of the International Labour Standards Department in 2004. She was heavily involved in the development of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.
Dr. Doumbia-Henry has been admitted as a Barrister at Law and Solicitor, entitled to practice in all English-speaking Caribbean jurisdictions and a Member of the Inner Temple, Inns of Court, United Kingdom.
She holds the following academic degrees:
• a Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) from the University of the West Indies;
• a Masters in Law ( LL.M) from the University of the West Indies;
• a Masters in International Law (LL.M.)from the Graduate Institute of International Studies, University of Geneva,
• a Doctorate in International Law (Ph.D.) from the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, Switzerland.
The WMU said she was appointed after a rigorous competitive process.
Dr. Doumbia-Henry’s job is to manage the University, under the direction of its Board of Governors, the Executive Board and the Chancellor, who set the policies within the framework of the WMU Charter.
Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has added his voice in congratulating Dr. Doumia-Henry, saying he expects her to serve with honour and distinction.
“Her appointment is an example of another great achievement of an outstanding Dominican national,” he said via Facebook. “Dominicans continue to excel on the world stage …”
He continued, “This is no doubt good news for Dominica. Dr. Doumbia-Henry, throughout her career, has served several international organizations with distinction. Her contribution to the international maritime sector has been one of excellence. I salute her achievements thus far and I wish her great success in her new position as President of the World Maritime University.”
Founded in 1983 by IMO, the World Maritime University (WMU) is a center of excellence for maritime post-graduate education and research.
WMU offers M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs, postgraduate diplomas, and Professional Development Courses with the highest standards in maritime affairs. Headquartered in Malmö, Sweden with additional M.Sc. programs in Shanghai and Dalian, China, WMU promotes the international exchange and transfer of maritime ideas and knowledge.
Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has added his voice in congratulating Dr. Doumia-Henry, saying he expects her to serve with honour and distinction. unlike him ! LMAO One more thing she should help him get a real degree as we are at it.
Let us say a real education: I am sure he is going to take credit for her success, even though he has never blessed his eyes on her. On the other hand I was still a young kid when she taught at the convent I believe. And I doubt she would like to join his rouge cabal filled with lies!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah. Soon you will hare him say he paid for her education! Any people with such accademic background cannot be bought, I suspect if politics meant anything to her she would have followed in her father’s foot steeps, just as the sons of the Douglas did, that’s all they can do for a living anyway, because dem dunce oui!
I regret you saying that it eflects very very badly on our elected opposition leader who has not even a high school diploma,at least skerrit has something,in your own words.
That story game me goosebumps, CONGRATULATION, i feel so proud.
I say congratulation to the lady: I remember her father very, very well, from the late 1950’s into the early 1960’s, was a power-house politician; if the people of Dominica took a Qu, from him; Dominica would be much more advanced than we are in 2015.
Elkin, slept politics, he ate politics, he walked, he preached politics, daily he drove around with the two largest Loudspeakers, I ever saw in my life he carried them in the rear of his Land Rover. Wether he was advertising a political meeting or simply dispensing information as to what is taking place in the then legislator, he informed the people, the politicians of his day were pure they told no lies as the lying b in Dominica politics these days.
congrats sistren you make us proud
guess this will be censored too. but its worth a try. why does DNO in 2015 censor comments that are neither vulgar nor libelous?
Congratulations madam. You have made yourself, your family and Dominica really proud of your most outstanding achievements. That is Dominicans are made of. Here’s something for all of us to shout about
Congratulations to a doer. It shows what can be achieved by hard work and perseverance !! Just look at the credentials .
Just imagine if all these bright stars (Dominicans) were to go back to Dominica……………
…..and do what????
…and do what???
I don’t know. I’ve been flirting with the idea and I want to believe that those of us that have so much to offer can probably make a difference, but my problem with Dominica is that it’s too small. And, I don’t mean the size of the island.
What’s your point? Why could she not come back to help her home country or are you expecting the government to do it all?
Congrats to Dr. Henry! That’s outstanding!
But in response to you I must say sadly, if all the bright stars were to go back to Dominica, most likely they would NOT be appreciated. We have seen it over, and over. Dominicans living on island have a tendency to diasporans who have done well outside and willing to go back to serve. Look at our most recent case of Dr. Fontaine.
I know what you mean, it’s a Caribbean attitude.
Espoire mal papaya! Only in our dreams and they will never come true. But if we had 1/10 of all our stars on island SKRIT would not be a minister let alone P.M Rayborne shads Peepip either just to mention a few lol!
What does Barbs Saunders think? any other enablers care to comment
Hi Justasking Babs
Greetings to you! Hope that you are enjoying the best of health particularly peace! Not sure to what I owe this honour to be singled out by you among the hundreds of folks on this medium to request my comments. So here goes!
First, congratulations to Cleopatra and her illustrious and brilliant family. Another Dominican, female at that, to blow away the glass ceiling! I always applaud achievement of any kind by Dominicans and will continue to do so.
Secondly, I’m not sure who or what I’m supposed to have enabled so you seem to be the only other being beside God who knows me better than myself! Congrats!
Thirdly, I thank God every day that I wake up in a country where nobody can control my thought processes unless I allow them to. So sorry, but you are not allowed! Have a blessed weekend!
in a few days we are going to hear that HON PM Skerrit had a hand in this appointment
Okay so how many scholarships are we going to get per year? One would be great to start off.
It would be nice to have a branch of the Maritime University here in Dominica. Or an agriculture university. Off shore campuses are a win win situation. Ross and All Saints are good examples.
wonderful! Congratulations to her and well-wishers.
I can only say WOW! AWESOME! PHENOMENAL! This is one such great Dominican luminary!
I first heard of Dr. Cleopatra Henry in the 1980s when I was still at secondary school. (CIVICS CLASS – please bring back Civic to ALL Secondary Schools). She was then at The Hague.
Dr. Cleopatra Henry’s name made us want to dream, to aspire to achieve. Some of us students saw halos and awe around her and other Dominicans who were then on the International scene – contributing meaningfully to building a dizzying pinnacle of Sapiens with value for and towards justice, equity and prosperity to the Human Cause. You continue to inspire.
CONGRATULATIONS DR. HENRY and may your work through the Portals of this Institution of Higher Learning continue to inspire its alumni – may your name continue to inspire Dominicans to aspire and Dream, and like You, not only attain but also share and contribute to our country and global community.
nice cadette but if you must know i got my eyes on you too at the UN and looking forward to seeing you go many places
Wow, wow, wow!! Congrats to a lady of the soil. Mahaut passee in the house! Congrats to Dr. Henry and thanks for making us proud. We wish you all the best and may jah bestow much divine guidance and blessings on you.
Assertive, NOT Aggressive!
well done auntie cleo
Congratulations. Another bright star. Thanks for making us proud.