International carreer
2007-2023Trainer, speaker, and strategic advisor to numerous international organizations, including the European Commission, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, several bilateral development agencies, and universities.
2004-2007CEO of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat (South-East Asia)
2002-2004Programme Director of IPTRID at the United Nations (FAO) in Roma
2000-2002Resident Representative of the Belgian Development Cooperation Agency in Senegal (ENABEL)
1998-2000Project Manager at the Senegal River Basin Organization - l'Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Sénégal (OMVS)
1987-1998Founder and CEO of Da Vinci Geomanagement s.a.
2004-2007CEO of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat (South-East Asia)
2002-2004Programme Director of IPTRID at the United Nations (FAO) in Roma
2000-2002Resident Representative of the Belgian Development Cooperation Agency in Senegal (ENABEL)
1998-2000Project Manager at the Senegal River Basin Organization - l'Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Sénégal (OMVS)
1987-1998Founder and CEO of Da Vinci Geomanagement s.a.
Academic and scientific carreer
1987-2023Extraordinary Professor, then Emeritus Professor of the Catholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve (UCLouvain), Belgium
1975-1987Researcher, then Associate Professor at the Catholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve (UCL), Belgium
Studies
1981Post-Doctorate in Irrigation Systems DesingUniversity of California, Davis1980Ph.D. in Soil HydrodynamicsCatholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium1975Master in Agricultural Engineering - Master Thesis in hydrologyCatholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
Biography
ChildhoodBorn in Bruges on September 7, 1950, Olivier Cogels spent his childhood in Antwerp, where he studied primary and secondary in Dutch while his mother tongue is French.
Full-time scientific and academic activities 1975-1987 Master in agricultural engineering (1975) from the Catholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve (UCL), Olivier Cogels began his scientific career with a Ph.D. in soil hydrodynamics under the supervision of Professor Louis De Backer. After his Ph.D. (1980) and a postdoctorate (1981) at the University of California, Davis in the field of water resources management and irrigation systems design, he joined the UCL faculty of Agriculture in 1981. In addition to his research and teaching activities in the fields of hydrology, irrigation and geomatics, he developed his field experience. His first mission, in 1978, allowed him to support the preparation of an integrated project aimed at reducing the impacts of drought on the vulnerable populations of Northern Kenya. Then, he carried out various missions in different parts of the world, among others in India, where he worked on improving the efficiency of irrigation. Also in Morocco where he was involved in the utilization of dams for irrigated agriculture.
Da Vinci Geomangement 1987-1997In 1987, he created his own company, Da Vinci Geomanagement sa, active in the field of digital mapping, satellite eath observation and management of environmental data. After more than 70 projects in twenty different countries, the company was acquired in 1997 by Spacebel Informatique sa.
Senegal 1997-2002In 1997, Olivier Cogels moved to Senegal where he first worked within the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS). This allowed him to acquire a first experience in international cooperation and hydrodiplomacy for the management of large rivers. In 2000, he became the Resident Representative of the Belgian Technical Cooperation (CTB) for Senegal and Mauritania. He created the BTC office (currently ENABEL) in Dakar and revived the Senegalese-Belgian bilateral cooperation program in the fields of water, health, agriculture and support for small businesses.
United Nations (FAO - IPTRID) in Rome 2002-2004In 2002, he flew to Rome, where he became Director of the United Nations (FAO) IPTRID Program, devoted to capacity development in irrigation and drainage in poor countries.
At the helm of the Mekong River Commission 2004-2007After his stay in Rome, he flew to Laos where he worked, from 2004 to 2007, as CEO of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), an international organization created in 1957 by the United Nations and taken over in 1995 by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to co-manage the development of this mythical river which rises in Tibet and ends its course in the China Sea after a trip of 4.300 km. In addition to his management role, his diplomatic position has among other things enabled him to work for enhanced cooperation between these countries and China. This experience reinforced his interest in hydrodiplomacy and geopolitics of water and gave him the opportunity to develop and promote his doctrine of for cooperation between countries sharing large rivers, especially when it comes to address the issue of large controversial hydraulic infrastructures.
Based as a freelance consultant on the Goree Island since 2007After the end of his mandate at the Mekong River Commission in 2007, he settled on the island of Goree in Senegal, from where he continued for over 15 years to provide advice to various international organizations including the World Bank , the African Development Bank, the United Nations, the European Commission and the Swiss Development Cooperation Agency in hydrodiplomacy problems for the management of the Nile and other major African rivers such as the Niger, the Zambezi, the Volta, etc. The interdependence between water security, energy security and food security, known as the 'Water-Energy-Food Nexus', has also become one of his favorite fields of interest. In particular, the European Commission called on its advice for the implementation of its global WEF Nexus program, mainly in Southern Africa and Central Asia.Olivier Cogels has also focused on the impacts of climate change on floods, droughts and water shortages, among others in the Yangtze river basin in China.
Academic mission at UCLouvainDuring all these years traveling around the world, Olivier Cogels pursued his academic mission at UCLouvain by continuing to provide trainings mainly in the fields of water resources management, water diplomacy and project management. He was named Emeritus Professor in 2015. Other teachning experience Olivier Cogels has also conducted trainings in Switzerland, Morocco, Burundi, and Burkina Faso, as well as delivered talks and keynote speeches in numerous countries worldwide.
Full-time scientific and academic activities 1975-1987 Master in agricultural engineering (1975) from the Catholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve (UCL), Olivier Cogels began his scientific career with a Ph.D. in soil hydrodynamics under the supervision of Professor Louis De Backer. After his Ph.D. (1980) and a postdoctorate (1981) at the University of California, Davis in the field of water resources management and irrigation systems design, he joined the UCL faculty of Agriculture in 1981. In addition to his research and teaching activities in the fields of hydrology, irrigation and geomatics, he developed his field experience. His first mission, in 1978, allowed him to support the preparation of an integrated project aimed at reducing the impacts of drought on the vulnerable populations of Northern Kenya. Then, he carried out various missions in different parts of the world, among others in India, where he worked on improving the efficiency of irrigation. Also in Morocco where he was involved in the utilization of dams for irrigated agriculture.
Da Vinci Geomangement 1987-1997In 1987, he created his own company, Da Vinci Geomanagement sa, active in the field of digital mapping, satellite eath observation and management of environmental data. After more than 70 projects in twenty different countries, the company was acquired in 1997 by Spacebel Informatique sa.
Senegal 1997-2002In 1997, Olivier Cogels moved to Senegal where he first worked within the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS). This allowed him to acquire a first experience in international cooperation and hydrodiplomacy for the management of large rivers. In 2000, he became the Resident Representative of the Belgian Technical Cooperation (CTB) for Senegal and Mauritania. He created the BTC office (currently ENABEL) in Dakar and revived the Senegalese-Belgian bilateral cooperation program in the fields of water, health, agriculture and support for small businesses.
United Nations (FAO - IPTRID) in Rome 2002-2004In 2002, he flew to Rome, where he became Director of the United Nations (FAO) IPTRID Program, devoted to capacity development in irrigation and drainage in poor countries.
At the helm of the Mekong River Commission 2004-2007After his stay in Rome, he flew to Laos where he worked, from 2004 to 2007, as CEO of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), an international organization created in 1957 by the United Nations and taken over in 1995 by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to co-manage the development of this mythical river which rises in Tibet and ends its course in the China Sea after a trip of 4.300 km. In addition to his management role, his diplomatic position has among other things enabled him to work for enhanced cooperation between these countries and China. This experience reinforced his interest in hydrodiplomacy and geopolitics of water and gave him the opportunity to develop and promote his doctrine of for cooperation between countries sharing large rivers, especially when it comes to address the issue of large controversial hydraulic infrastructures.
Based as a freelance consultant on the Goree Island since 2007After the end of his mandate at the Mekong River Commission in 2007, he settled on the island of Goree in Senegal, from where he continued for over 15 years to provide advice to various international organizations including the World Bank , the African Development Bank, the United Nations, the European Commission and the Swiss Development Cooperation Agency in hydrodiplomacy problems for the management of the Nile and other major African rivers such as the Niger, the Zambezi, the Volta, etc. The interdependence between water security, energy security and food security, known as the 'Water-Energy-Food Nexus', has also become one of his favorite fields of interest. In particular, the European Commission called on its advice for the implementation of its global WEF Nexus program, mainly in Southern Africa and Central Asia.Olivier Cogels has also focused on the impacts of climate change on floods, droughts and water shortages, among others in the Yangtze river basin in China.
Academic mission at UCLouvainDuring all these years traveling around the world, Olivier Cogels pursued his academic mission at UCLouvain by continuing to provide trainings mainly in the fields of water resources management, water diplomacy and project management. He was named Emeritus Professor in 2015. Other teachning experience Olivier Cogels has also conducted trainings in Switzerland, Morocco, Burundi, and Burkina Faso, as well as delivered talks and keynote speeches in numerous countries worldwide.