Mahawa Bangoura

Mahawa Bangoura Camara (born 13 March 1927) is a Guinean 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, Guinea. Career Bangoura was appointed Guinea's Ambassador to the United States in 1995. Bangoura was Guinea's permanent representative at the United Nations 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 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.