Chehem WATTA

Chehem WATTA
2010 Resident
  • Africa
  • Eastern Africa
  • Africa
  • Africa
  • Eastern Africa
  • Djibouti
French

Chehem WATTA teaches at the Medical School and is the HIV/AIDS advisor to the president of the Djibouti Republic, as well as an awarded poet. He is the author of four poetry collections, O pays, perle sur la langue-routes pour le monde (2005), Cahier de brouillon des poèmes du desert (1999) Pèlerin d’errance (1997), and Sur les soleils de Houroud (1997), of the novel Amours nomades [Loves of Nomads] (2008) and the novella L'eloge des voyous [In praise of louts] (2008). He participates courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State.

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Happening Now

  • We regret the passing, on April 11, 2024, of the distinguished Romanian author and critic Dan Cristea, who served as the editor in chief of the Luceafărul de Dimineață cultural monthly. In addition to being an alum of the 1985 Fall Residency, Cristea received his PhD in Comparative Literature at the University of Iowa.

  • Our congratulations to 1986 Fall Residency writer Kwame Dawes, who has been named the new poet laureate of Jamaica.

  • Congratulations to our colleagues Jennifer Croft and Aron Aji, who are among those serving as judges for the National Book Awards this year, in their case in the category of translated literature.

  • Ranjit Hoskote’s speech at the 2024 Goa Literary Festival addresses the current situation in Gaza.

  • In NY Times, Bina Shah worries about the state of Pakistani—and American—democracy.

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