Rémy Rioux

Rémy Rioux
Rioux in 2024
Born (1969-06-26) 26 June 1969
Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
Alma materÉcole Normale Supérieure
Sciences Po
École nationale d'administration
OccupationCivil servant
Parent(s)Jean-Pierre Rioux
Hélène Rioux

Rémy Rioux (born 26 June 1969) is a French civil servant. He is the chief executive of the French Development Agency and since 2020, president of Finance in Common.

Early life

Rémy Rioux was born on 26 June 1969 in Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris.[1][2]

He earned a master's degree in history at Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne University, then a DEA at the Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales.[3] During his academic work, he focused on the historians Gabriel Monod and Jules Michelet under the supervision of Alain Corbin and Pierre Nora.[4]

He graduated from the École Normale Supérieure, Sciences Po and the École nationale d'administration.[1][2] In 1995, at the age of 26, he completed an internship in Benin.[5]

Career

At the Court of Audit

From 1997 to 2000 and again from 2002 to 2004, Rémy Rioux served as an auditor at the Court of Audit, where he carried out oversight assignments in the energy, defense, industry, foreign trade, and public indistrustrial sectors.[6]

At the Ministry of the Interior

In the government of Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, he was an adviser to Interior Minister Daniel Vaillant from 2000 until 2002 where he was responsible for managing the ministry's budget and overseeing the transition to the euro.[2]

At the Ministry of Economics and Finance

From 2004 to 2007, he served as head of the "Monetary Cooperation and Development with African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries" until within the Directorate General of the Treasury and Economic Policy (DGTPE).[7] In this capacity, he oversaw relations with African countries and handled issues relating to the Franc Zone. During France’s presidency of the G20, he played a key role in bringing infrastructure and development to the forefront of the international agenda. [8]

During his time at the French State Holdings Agency (APE) from 2007 until 2009, Rioux was on the boards of directors of France Médias Monde, France Télévisions, Groupe ADP, the Port of Le Havre, the RATP Group, Renault and SNCF.[9] In 2011, he was a member of the task force set up at the French Treasury for the French presidencies of the G8 and G20.[9] From 2012 until 2014, he was chief of staff to Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, in the government of Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.[2]

At the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

From 2014 until 2016, Rioux was Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under minister Laurent Fabius.[10] In 2015, President François Hollande appointed him to develop reform proposals for both AFD and state-owned bank CDC, including a possible merger; however, the project was eventually abandoned.[11]

In 2015, he coordinated the “finance” agenda of COP21 within the French negotiating team led by Laurence Tubiana.[12]

At the French Development Agency

Rioux has been the chief executive of the French Development Agency since June 2016[13].Following the suggestion of Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, President Emmanuel Macron reappointed him for another four-year term in 2019[14] and again in September 2022.[15]

Under his leadership, AFD Group’s annual commitments increased significantly from 8,3 billion euros in 2015[16] to 13,7 billion euros in 2025,[17] and its activities were aligned with both the Paris Agreement[18][19] and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.[20]

In early 2022, he oversaw the creation of the AFD Group, bringing together AFD, Proparco, and Expertise France,[21] in line with the 2021 French law on inclusive development and the fight against global inequalities.[22]

At the organizational level, he promoted a “One Africa” approach aimed at overcoming the traditional divide between North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.[23] He also established a “Three Oceans”  department covering overseas territories and neighboring states,[24] and expanded AFD’s geographic mandates, particularly in Europe’s neighborhood, including Ukraine and Moldova.[25]

In Africa, he notably marked the reopening of AFD’s office in Kigali in April 2022[26] and announced in April 2022  and announced new investments in Western Sahara in 2025.[27]

From 2017 to 2023, he served as Chair of the International Development Finance Club (IDFC),[28] a group of 26 national and regional development banks committed to aligning financial flows with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Since its creation in 2020, he has also chaired the Finance in Common initiative, a global network bringing together 536 public development banks around shared objectives related to sustainable development and the fight against climate change.[29] The initiative represents approximately €2.5 trillion in annual investments, accounting for nearly 15% of global investment.[30]

In the summer of 2023, on the occasion of the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, he co-founded — together with six Paris-based international organizations — the “Paris Dialogue” initiative, aimed at advancing sustainable development.[31]

In July 2025, ahead of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville , he signed, alongside the members of this initiative, a joint “Call for Financing Sustainable Development.” Signatories included Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO; Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD; Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary-General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie; Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency; Philippe Varin, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce; and Carlo Monticelli, Governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank.[32] In preparation for this conference, he was also mandated by the United Nations Secretary-General to work on mobilizing public development banks within the international financial architecture.[33][34]

In 2024, he inaugurated the AFD Group Campus in Marseille, a training center dedicated to actors in international solidarity and sustainable development.[35]

Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, he was tasked by President Emmanuel Macron and IOC President Thomas Bach with organizing the first international summit on sport for development, bringing together over 500 participants, including heads of state, international organizations, athletes, and stakeholders from the sports and development sectors.[36][37]

Positions

Rémy Rioux has advocated for France’s “3D”  approach to international policy, combining defense, diplomacy, and development,[38] and has called for a shift from a traditional model of “official development assistance” to one of “solidarity-based and sustainable investment,grounded in respect, reciprocity,[39] and the capacity to mobilize both public and private finance toward fair and sustainable transitions worldwide.[40]

He has argued against framing climate and development as competing priorities,[41] emphasizing that while development aid must be rethought, international cooperation itself cannot be interrupted.[42] He has also warned about the consequences of reductions in funding for international solidarity and has called for a broader public debate on France’s relationship with the rest of the world.[43]

Rémy Rioux has emphasized the growing importance of sport and culture as drivers of international development, particularly in Africa, highlighting his personal commitment to using development finance to support inclusive growth, social cohesion, and new forms of cooperation beyond traditional aid frameworks.[44]

On Africa, he has defended the view that the concept of “Françafrique” persists primarily in the minds of its critics[45].  He has urged a renewed perspective on the continent and stressed the need to move beyond the idea that development can be driven externally.[46] In his view, relations between Africa and Europe are undergoing a transformation beyond the post-independence framework, and strengthening ties will require overcoming persistent misconceptions about Africa.[47]

During debates on the immigration law discussed in the French Parliament in late 2023, he stated that “the only sustainable response to migration challenges is the development of countries in the Global South.[48]

Personal life

Rioux is married, and he has three children.[1]

Recognition

Publications

  • Introductions à L'Economie africaine 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 et 2026, La Découverte
  • Avec François Adam et Olivier Ferrand, Finances publiques, Presses de Sciences Po, 2007
  • Réconciliations, Débats publics, 2019
  • Pour un monde en commun. Regard croisés entre l'Afrique et l'Europe, avec Achille Mbembe, Actes Sud, 2022

Other activities

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Rémy Rioux est nommé Directeur général de l'Agence Française de Développement". French Embassy in Afghanistan. May 26, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Faujas, Alain (May 19, 2016). "Coopération : Rémy Rioux, le choix de Hollande pour transformer l'AFD". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  3. ↑ Visions de l’histoire et pratique du métier d’historien, Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, Mémoire de maîtrise, Alain Corbin et Alice Gérard (dir.), 1990
  4. ↑ Potin, Yann (2012). "Les fantômes de Gabriel Monod. Papiers et paroles de Jules Michelet, érudit et prophète". Revue historique. 664: 803–836.
  5. ↑ Pascal Airault (May 12, 2017), Rémy Rioux, le « serial développeur » de la République au service de l’Afrique L'Opinion.
  6. ↑ "Décret du 28 juillet 1997 portant nomination (Cour des comptes)". legifrance.gouv.fr. 1997.
  7. ↑ Lefebvre, Étienne (6 June 2012). "Rémy Rioux L'histoire au présent à Bercy". Les Echos.
  8. ↑ "Africa's Development Agenda to Remain a High Priority for G20 (AfDB)". All Africa. 25 November 2011.
  9. 1 2 Étienne Lefebvre (June 6, 2012), Rémy Rioux: L'histoire au présent à Bercy Les Échos.
  10. ↑ Serge Michel and Martine Jacot (December 5, 2016), Rémy Rioux  : « Faire de l’AFD une agence plus grande et plus innovante » Le Monde.
  11. ↑ Sharon Wajsbrot (March 24, 2016), L ’Agence Française de Développement ne sera pas adossée à la Caisse des Dépôts Les Échos.
  12. ↑ Goar, Matthieu (December 12, 2025). "Paris Agreement: Ten years later, key players look back on 'incredible alignment of stars'". Le Monde.
  13. ↑ "Décret du 25 mai 2016 portant nomination du directeur général de l'Agence française de développement - M. RIOUX (Rémy)". Légifrance. May 26, 2016.
  14. ↑ Jean-Baptiste Vey (May 13, 2019), Macron propose de reconduire Rioux à la direction de l'AFD Reuters.
  15. ↑ "Décret du 26 septembre 2022 portant nomination dans les fonctions de directeur général de l'Agence française de développement - M. RIOUX (Rémy)". Légifrance. September 27, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Document de référence" (PDF). French agency of Development (in French). April 2015.
  17. ↑ "AFD Group's 2025 results: targets met despite a challenging context". French agency of Development. December 16, 2025.
  18. ↑ Heraud, Béatrice (October 22, 2025). "Avec sa feuille de route 2025-2030, l'AFD vise 100% d'alignement sur l'accord de Paris et le cadre Kunming-Montréal". AEF info.
  19. ↑ "The Paris Agreement: 10 years of action by AFD Group". French agency of Development. December 11, 2025.
  20. ↑ "How AFD Group Aligns its Projects with the UN Sustainable Development Goals". French agency of Development. January 4, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Expertise France joins AFD Group, allowing for a Holistic Approach to Development". French agency of Development. January 3, 2022.
  22. ↑ "LOI n° 2021-1031 du 4 août 2021 de programmation relative au développement solidaire et à la lutte contre les inégalités mondiales (1)". Légifrance. August 5, 2021.
  23. ↑ Rioux, Rémy (May 23, 2018). "Et si l'Afrique réussissait, avec le numérique, à inventer une économie inclusive et durable ?". Le Monde (in French).
  24. ↑ Sage, Maina (July 24, 2018). "Mission d'information sur la gestion des événements climatiques majeurs dans les zones littorales de l'Hexagone et des Outre-mer". Assemblée nationale.
  25. ↑ "AFD Group reaffirms its commitment alongside Ukraine and, more broadly, in the European Neighborhood". French agency of Development. June 18, 2025.
  26. ↑ Broulard, Laure (April 1, 2022). "Rwanda: 28 ans après, l'Agence française de développement réinstallée à Kigali". RFI (in French).
  27. ↑ Hume-Ferkatadji, François (May 12, 2025). "Sahara occidental: l'Agence française de développement annonce 150 millions d'euros d'investissements". RFI (in French).
  28. ↑ Jacob, Maxime; Barbière (October 20, 2017). "Le club des banques de développement se concentre sur le climat". Euractiv (in French).
  29. ↑ Massiot, Aude (July 17, 2020). "Rémy Rioux : «Le début de difficultés majeures pour le financement des pays du Sud»". Libération (in French).
  30. ↑ "Le réseau Finance en commun représente 15% de l'investissement mondial". elysee.fr (in French). June 22, 2023.
  31. ↑ Azoulay, Audrey; Cormann, Mathias; Mushikiwabo, Louise; Rioux, Rémy; Birol, Fatih; Denton, John (June 18, 2023). "Paris doit devenir un formidable creuset collaboratif au service du développement durable". Journal du Dimanche (Oped) (in French).
  32. ↑ "Les organisations du Dialogue de Paris lancent un appel au financement du développement durable". Les Echos (in French). July 4, 2025.
  33. ↑ Gawel, Anna (June 30, 2025). "Head of France's AFD reflects on development finance's uneven evolution". Devex.
  34. ↑ Brouck, Thaïs (January 9, 2024). "Après Macron, Rioux chef d'orchestre de la version "ONU" du sommet de Paris". Jeune Afrique (in French).
  35. ↑ Bessard, Théo (May 16, 2024). "L'Agence française de développement inaugure son campus marseillais". La Provence (in French).
  36. ↑ Barberousse, Matthieu (June 27, 2024). "Rémy Rioux, directeur général de l'Agence française du développement : "Le sport est l'un des seuls domaines où l'on arrive à trouver des accords"". L'Equipe (in French).
  37. ↑ "On the eve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, an unprecedented summit in the interests of sport, youth and sustainable development". French agency of Development. July 24, 2024.
  38. ↑ Phelut, Emmanuel (October 8, 2019). "Développement et stratégies de sortie de crise : anticiper pour s'articuler sans se confondre". Revue Défense Nationale. 68 (French).
  39. ↑ Chaudière, Claire (November 1, 2025). "Il faut presser le pas pour redéfinir le sens de l'aide au développement". France inter (in French).
  40. ↑ Rioux, Rémy; Finchelstein, Gilles; El Karoui, Hakim. "Solidarité internationale : la lucidité des Français". La Fondation Jean Jaurès.
  41. ↑ Jules, Robert (May 11, 2024). "Il faut cesser d'opposer climat et développement". La Tribune Dimanche (in French).
  42. ↑ Bottero, Laurence (September 8, 2025). "Si l'aide au développement doit être réinventée, la coopération internationale ne peut être interrompue". La Tribune Afrique (in French).
  43. ↑ Malo, Antoine (January 18, 2026). "Il faut un débat public sur notre relation avec le reste du monde". La Tribune Dimanche (in French).
  44. ↑ El Azhari, Bouchra (February 6, 2026). "We need to reinvent forms of international cooperation". TelQuel.
  45. ↑ Mahler, Thomas (August 15, 2022). "Rémy Rioux : "La Françafrique survit avant tout dans l'esprit de ceux qui la dénoncent"". L'Express (in French).
  46. ↑ François, Jean-Baptiste; Senèze, Nicolas (April 7, 2025). "Rémy Rioux : "Sortons de nos têtes l'idée qu'on pourrait développer un pays de l'extérieur"". La Croix (in French).
  47. ↑ Forson, Viviane (November 24, 2020). "Rémy Rioux : "Travailler la question de la perception des risques"". Le Point Afrique (in French).
  48. ↑ Brouck, Thaïs (December 22, 2023). "Rémy Rioux (AFD) : "La seule réponse durable au problème migratoire, c'est le développement des pays du Sud"". Jeune Afrique (in French).
  49. ↑ "Devex Power 50". Devex. 2 February 2026.
  50. ↑ https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000051885844
  51. ↑ https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/liste/bodmr
  52. ↑ https://la1ere.franceinfo.fr/le-directeur-general-de-l-afd-integre-l-academie-des-sciences-d-outre-mer-1283340.html
  53. ↑ https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000036927195
  54. ↑ Members of the Council European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).
  55. ↑ Commission on Public Affairs And Social Development Through Sport International Olympic Committee (IOC).
  56. ↑ Board La France s’engage Foundation.
  57. ↑ Governance Proparco.
  58. ↑ Rémy Rioux, alternate member of the Board of Directors European Investment Bank (EIB).
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