Marie-Elise Akouavi Gbèdo (born 29 December 1954) is a Beninese politician who has run for president four times.

[1] She was educated in Benin at the primary and secondary level, then went to France to continue her studies at the Sorbonne University.

[2] Gbedo encouraged women to pursue university studied and lamented the lack of female administrators in Benin.

She was dismissed from that position in June 1999 after attempting to resolve a scandal pertaining to a business deal between the nationalized petroleum company SONACOP and a private firm.

[8] In November 2005, she wrote the book "Le destin du roseau" (The Reed of Destiny), containing autobiographical interviews and essays on her vision of Benin's development and that of Africa in general.

[1] Running again in the March 2006 presidential election, Gbedo was followed by filmmaker Sanvi Panou, who created a documentary film called The Amazon candidate.

After Thomas Boni Yayi was declared victorious, she opted to back him despite opposition figures challenging the results.