Dr. Alioune Traoré is the President of OPADE. He served as a senior international civil servant at UNESCO, in the capacity of Director of the Office for Peace Cooperation. Notably, he was the Executive Secretary of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize, a prestigious distinction from which several laureates were subsequently selected to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

In recognized diplomatic circles, it is widely known that he himself conceived this Prize, guiding it from the original concept in his mind to its step-by-step implementation. However, few are aware that at UNESCO, he also headed the Department of the History of the Scientific and Cultural Development of Humanity, contributed to the drafting of the 'General History of Africa,' and enabled his close friend, Cheikh Anta Diop, to enhance the visibility of his research on ancient Egypt. Furthermore, he has been instrumental in resolving numerous regional conflicts and securing the release of prominent political prisoners.

Throughout his career, he has engaged with numerous Heads of State, Governments, and dignitaries from all regions of the world. As a historian, he authored a seminal doctoral thesis on "Cheikh Hamahoullah" and a renowned eponymous book on "Islam and Resistance to French Colonization in West Africa".