Mahouton Norbert Hounkonnou is a full Professor of Mathematics and Physics at the  University of Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin. His works deal with noncommutative and nonlinear mathematics including differential equations, operator theory, coherent states, quantization techniques, orthogonal polynomials, special functions, graph theory, nonassociative algebras, nonlinear systems, noncommutative field theories and geometric methods in Physics. He is co-author and reviewer of books, referee and associate editor for renowned journals in mathematics, mathematical physics and theoretical physics. He has published more than 150 main refereed papers in outstanding ISI-ranked journals and international conference proceedings in the fields of mathematics, mathematical physics and theoretical physics. He is a visiting professor at African, Asian, European and North American Universities. Together with his peers at the international level, he founded the International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications (ICMPA - UNESCO Chair) of the University of Abomey-Calavi where he created a multi-university master degree and PhD programmes in mathematics with connections, motivations or applications to physics, or in physics with important relations to mathematics. The best African students from about 13 French and English speaking countries are selected to follow these programmes which attract prominent and leading mathematicians and mathematical physicists worldwide who come to give lectures and supervise student research, what has substantially increased international collaboration with African, Asian, American, European and Indian scientists and mathematicians. The ICMPA-UNESCO Chair presently hosts the international conference series and school on Contemporary Problems in Mathematical Physics, which is held every two years and each year since 1999  and 2005, respectively. These activities have led to a significant network of researchers connected with the ICMPA-UNESCO Chair, who benefit from the resources so made available in mathematics and mathematical physics, and the development of world-class mathematics and science in Africa. Professor Hounkonnou has co-supervised more than 32 PhD and 31 M. Sc. theses of students from Belgium and different African countries (Benin,  Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Cameroun, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal,  Togo, Zambia, etc.). He is the current President of the Benin National Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. His membership extends to the International Association of Mathematical Physics, American Mathematical Society, African Academy of Sciences (AAS), the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS),   UNESCO Scientific Board for International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP), as well as other scientific organisations.