Cheikh Ly, a national of Senegal, holds a veterinary doctorate from the Inter-States School of Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, in Dakar (1981) and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from Michigan State University, USA (1985). He first worked with the Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute and from 1988 as lecturer-researcher at the Rural Economics and Management Unit of EISMV. He completed postgraduate degrees of the Africa and Madagascar Council for University Education (CAMES) to become a tenured professor in the veterinary school in July 2005. Ly held the positions of chief of the Biological Sciences and Animal Productions Department of EISMV (2000–2006) and then director general of the International Trypanotolerance Centre in Banjul, The Gambia (2006–2007). As researcher, Ly has produced and contributed to several publications related to livestock issues in Africa. In addition, he served as consultant for national and international organizations, including the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the United States Agency for International Development. He was the chairman of the Council of the Senegalese Veterinary Doctors Association from 2000 to 2006 and has been a member of the Academy of Sciences and Technics of Senegal since June 2003. Ly first worked for FAO as livestock economics officer in a regional project to promote trypanotolerant livestock in West and Central Africa, based in Banjul, The Gambia (1991–1993). In January 2010, he was appointed animal production and health officer at the FAO Regional Office for Africa, in Accra. In October 2011, he was nominated as secretary of the Regional Conference for Africa, the FAO corporate governing body for the Africa region.