Sorbonne University Professor appointed Chad Minister of Higher Education and Research

Sitack Yombatina Béni, a former Professor at France's Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, has been appointed as Chad’s Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Vocational Training. He replaces Tom Erdimi, who had held the position since October 2022 and resigned on 05/03/2026.

Béni took office on 07/04. He holds a doctorate in law, earned in 2004 from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University. His doctoral thesis focuses on the study of environmental law in Chad’s gum arabic industry. He also holds a Magister Legum in legal theory from the European University of Brussels and a Master’s degree in Sociology from the Catholic University of Central Africa in Cameroon.

He has served as a faculty member and researcher at several higher education institutions in Africa, including the University of N’Djamena since 2000 and the ENA of Chad, and as a visiting professor at UCAC (Central Africa) and the African Academy of Legal Theory.

The new minister previously served as vice president of the opposition party Les Transformateurs from its founding until August 2025. He resigned to…