M'Mahawa Sylla is a Guinean army officer. She is the one and only woman to have reached the rank of general since the creation of the Guinean army in 1960. Since September 10, 2021, she has been the

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

of the city of Conakry.

Education

M'Mahawa Sylla studied in Guinea and graduated with a higher education diploma in

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

and management from the

Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry (in French ''L'Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry'', UGANC), is the largest university in Guinea and located in Dixinn Commune, Conakry, Guinea. The name is generally shortened to the University o ...

. She graduated from the CISD of the Higher Defense College in Beijing in 2014.

Officer career

Captain of the Guinean women's handball team, M'Mahawa Sylla was chosen by the Guinean army to join the Sports Association of the Armed Forces of Guinea (Asfag) in 1985. She participated in 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 ...

mission in

Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

called ONUCI. In 2013, she became a colonel in the army. From the end of 2017 to September 2021, she was the Deputy Secretary General of the National Defense Council.

Governor

After the coup d'état of September 5, 2021 by the CNRD,

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

M'Mahawa Sylla was appointed to the post of governor of the city of Conakry, replacing General Mathurin Bangoura, in office since 2016.

Awards and recognition

* 2021: First female brigadier general. * 2021: First female governor of the city of Conakry. * 2022: Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sylla, MMahawa Living people 21st-century Guinean economists Guinean women in politics Guinean generals Brigadier generals Year of birth missing (living people) Female generals Women economists Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry alumni