Mahawa Bangoura Camara (born 13 March 1927) is a

Guinea Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...

n diplomat and politician, the first woman to be the foreign minister of Guinea, Guinea's Ambassador to the United States, and its permanent representative at the United Nations.

Early life

Mahawa Bangoura Camara was born on 13 March 1927 in

Conakry Conakry (; ; sus, Kɔnakiri; N’ko: ߞߐߣߊߞߙߌ߫, Fula: ''Konaakiri'' 𞤑𞤮𞤲𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤭𞤪𞤭) is the capital and largest city of Guinea. A port city, it serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea. Its p ...

, Guinea.

Career

Bangoura was appointed Guinea's Ambassador to the United States in 1995. Bangoura was Guinea's permanent representative at the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

until June 2000, when she became the country's first women foreign minister, succeeding Zainoul Abidine Sannoussi. She was appointed by the President

Lansana Conte Lansana is a given name. Notable people with the name include: Surname: * Alpha Lansana (born 1980), Sierra Leonean international footballer *David Lansana (1922–1975), appointed army commander of Sierra Leone in 1964 *Komeh Gulama Lansana, the w ...

during a reshuffle which saw five senior ministers being replaced. Bangoura and the new security and interior minister Ahmadou Camara became secretaries of state, and senior status within the cabinet behind the Prime Minister, Lamine Sidime. In August 2001, she met with her

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

n and

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

an counterparts in

Monrovia Monrovia () is the capital city of the West African country of Liberia. Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2008 census had 1,010,970 residents, home to 29% of Liberia’s total population. As the ...

, Liberia to try to bring peace to the three countries of the Mano River Union (MRU). Bangoura remained foreign minister until 2002.

References

Susu people Living people 1927 births Foreign ministers of Guinea Permanent Representatives of Guinea to the United Nations Ambassadors of Guinea to the United States Women government ministers of Guinea Female foreign ministers Guinean women diplomats People from Conakry Guinean women ambassadors {{Guinea-politician-stub