PERMANENT OBSERVER MISSION OF
THE AFRICAN UNION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
OFFICE OF THE HEAD OF MISSION
AMBASSADOR FATIMA KYARI MOHAMMED
Head of Mission
Ambassador Fatima Kyari Mohammed is the Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations. Prior to her appointment, she was Senior Advisor to the ECOWAS Commission. Her career spans more than two decades with a focus on peace, security, socio-economic development, regional integration, organizational development, and project management in the public and private sectors. Her academic background is in peace, security, development, and conflict transformation (University of Innsbruck), responsible management and sustainable economic development (United Nations University for Peace, Costa Rica), and Business Communication (European University, Switzerland). She also holds a degree in Environmental Design (ABU, Zaria, Nigeria). She is an Eisenhower Fellow and has been awarded the ExxonMobil Distinguished Fellow Award in 2017.
MS. HABIBA GWADABE
Special Assistant to the Ambassador
Ms. Habiba Gwadabe is a career diplomat from Nigeria. She is the Special Assistant to the Ambassador. Her responsibilities include managing and coordinating the activities of the office of the Ambassador including liaison between other missions and other agencies as well as support to peace and security file. Ms. Gwadabe holds a B.Sc. in Pharmaceutical & Chemical Sciences from Brighton University, England, an M.A. in International Relations from Webster International University and an MBA from Coventry University, London Campus.
MS. MARIE BORE
Assistant to the Ambassador
Ms. Marie Bore is the administrative assistant of the Ambassador. Her role is to provide secretarial and administrative support to the Ambassador. She is also the liaison between the Head of Mission’s Office and Headquarters in Addis Ababa, as well as with the United Nations, and other Missions and organizations. She is well trained in the field of bilingual secretarial studies and has several years of experience in working with the African Union and other African Permanent Missions.
MR. MOHAMMED ABUBAKAR BAGOBIRI
Special Advisor, Political Affairs
Mr. Mohammed Bagobiri has been Special Advisor to the Ambassador since July 2018. As Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he has over a decade of experience working in the fields of diplomacy and international affairs. He was formerly Head of Chancery and Head of Political and Economic Affairs at the Nigerian Embassy, as well as of the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the African Union as Head of Chancery and Head of Peace Operations. and Security. He holds a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Maiduguri University.
MRS. ESTHER AZAA YAMBOU TANKOU
Communication Advisor
Mrs. Esther Azaa Yambou Tankou, is Head of Media and Information within the Directorate of Information and Communication of the African Union Commission (AUC), Seconded as Communication Adviser to the African Union Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations (UN) in New York, USA. A native of Cameroon. Mrs. Tankou has over 25 years of experience in the field of Information, Media, Public Relations, Advocacy, Marketing and Communication with very good proficiency in French and English.
MRS. OUMOU DAOU-KOUMOUE
Communications Advisor
Ms. Oumou Daou Koumoue is a Communications and Outreach expert who leads all the communications activities of the Mission. She is responsible for social media and serves as the focal person for media inquiries and partnerships. Prior to this, she was a technical expert within the Silencing the Guns Unit, at the Department for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the AUC. Ms. Daou-Koumoue holds a masters degree in Political Science from Paris VIII Vincennes-Saint Denis University.
ECONOMIC & SOCIAL AFFAIRS
MR. AYOUP Z. ELRASHDI
Senior Advisor, Economic Affairs
Mr. Ayoup Elrashdi is the chief economic officer at the Mission. Since joining the African Union Commission in 2006, he has implemented several policy and strategy analysis programs on industrial development, mineral resource management, multilateral cooperation and sustainable development. He holds a Master's degree in Industrial Engineering from Benghazi University in Libya and a Master's degree in Diplomacy and International Relations from Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey.
MRS. BENNI ASMAA
Advisor, Economic Affairs
Mrs. Benni Asmaa is a diplomat covering the economic and social issues at the African Union Mission. She has 6 years of experience as a Counselor in the Permanent Mission of Morocco, in Geneva, where she was in charge of the Human Rights Council of the UN, and WHO. She previously worked as a Counselor in the Cabinet of the Ministry delegate of the Moroccan Foreign Affairs, focusing notably on gender issues, peace, and disarmament. She was also teaching International Relations, at the University of Political Science in Lyon, and Geopolitics and geostrategy in the Middle East at the Institute of European Studies (IEE) in Paris, in parallel of preparing her PhD on terrorism, in the field of Political Science- International Security and defense.
MS. PUSELETSO ADELINAH MOLATO
Adviser, Economic and Social Affairs
Ms. Puseletso Adelinah Molato is an expert representing the Mission in dialogues and negotiations on the Third Commission. Ms. Molato's work covers social, cultural and humanitarian assistance, including social development, human rights, international drug control, trafficking in human beings, health, the elimination of racial discrimination , xenophobia and associated intolerance phenomena. Ms. Molato also advises the African Union Commission on the outcome of the UN plenary consultations in various bodies of the Third Committee and on the interests of African countries.
POLITICAL AFFAIRS
MR. SALEM MATUG
Advisor, Political Affairs
Mr. Salem Matug is a political affairs specialist for the UN Fourth Committee and a member of several United Nations bodies responsible for peacekeeping, including the Peacebuilding Commission and the C34 Committee. He was previously a Libyan diplomat in Ethiopia, the African Union Commission, and ECA. He holds a Master's degree in International Studies from the University of Exeter and has taken professional courses in Conflict Prevention and Management from the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Libya, as well as Preventive Diplomacy from UNITAR.
MR. ZINURINE ABIODU ALGHALI
Senior Advisor, Peace and Security
Coordinator of the African members of the UN security Council (A3)
Mr Zinurine Abiodu Alghali coordinates peace and security issues, including the work of the African Members of the UN Security Council (A3). Previously, Mr Alghali led the Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD), at the AU Commission. He also led the Peacekeeping Unit and Managed the Training for Peace (TfP) in Africa Programme at the African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD). He holds a Masters in Gender Studies (Conflict and Human Rights), Bachelors in Philosophy and Politics and a Diploma in Mass Communication - all from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.
MRS. KAHINA MESTAR-LEBBAZ
Senior Advisor, Peace and Security
Mrs. Kahina MESTAR-LEBBAZ, is a career diplomat who currently covers peace and security issues, including coordination between the AUPSC and the A3, as well as the coordination with the UN Secretariat. With 18 years experience with the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs she has also served at the Algerian Embassies in Addis-Ababa (2008-2013), in Vienna ( 2016-2021) and the Permanent Mission of Algeria to UN in New York. She holds a degree in International Relations and Law from Algiers University.
MS. FATOU SOMBIE KABORE
Advisor, Women Peace and Security and Focal Point of African Women Leadership Network
Ms. Fatou Sombie Kabore is a WPS Policy Analyst, a United Nations Security Council Focus expert and the Focal Person of the African Women Leaders Network at the Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations. Ms. Fatou has over 8 years of experience delivering results in Peace and Security, WPS and Political Affairs, within which over 4 years of experience in the UN Security Council system. Ms. Fatou provides policy analysis on AWLN thematic pillars of peace and security; Governance and political participation; financial inclusion and entrepreneurship; social mobilization; women in rural area and agriculture; and young women leadership.
Mrs. Constancia Adelina Gaspar
Senior Legal Affairs Officer
Bio
PEACE AND SECURITY
LEGAL AFFAIRS
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
MR. SESHIME DOVLO
Assistant Accountant
Mr. Seshime Dovlo is responsible for all financial and administrative affairs of the Mission. His responsibilities include managing the Mission's finances and expenditures related to operations, human resources, and procurement. He advises on administrative policies and human resources. He coordinates the financial and operational reports of the Head of Mission, the Directorate of Human Resources Management at Headquarters and the Programming and Budgeting Directorate. He holds an MBA in Finance from the Institute of Management and Public Administration of Ghana.
MR. YOSEF DEGU
Administrative Officer
Mr. Yosef Degu is a Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA), UK with a wide range of accounting, auditing and administration experience. He holds Bachelor of Art in Economics and Diploma in Accounting from Addis Ababa University. He has more than fifteen years of work experience and more than 10 years in the African Union Head Quarters. He is now in charge of all administrative aspects which mainly includes Human Resources, IT and Procurement among others, and gives hands to finance whenever necessary.
MRS. ANNA ABEBE
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Anna Abebe is an administrative assistant. She coordinates the activities of the African Group of Ambassadors, the group of African experts in the Main Committees and the Nominations Committee of the African Group. She participates in the organization of conferences and meetings. She also leads the protocol activities and is responsible for the mission internship program. She received training in Administration and management related issues.
MR. ABDUL DIAWARA CADRIME NATHALI
Driver/Messenger
Mr. Abdoul D. C. Nathali provides transportation services to the Permanent Representative and other delegates of the AUC. It also facilitates the distribution of letters and documents to the UN and other stakeholders.
MR. TESFAYE TAMRAT
Courier & Logistics
Mr. Tamrat provides transportation services to staff members and delegates, as appropriate. In addition, he assumes administrative support tasks, including the filing, sending and receiving of mail and parcels, and the purchase of office supplies.
CONFERENCE & DOCUMENTATION
MRS. MIRRIAM OMALA-GAUVIN
Adviser, Meetings and Conference Management
Ms. Mirriam Omala-Gauvin is responsible for the management and interpretation of the conferences. She leads meetings for the African Ambassadors Group and serves as a focal point for the group of African ambassador spouses and the diaspora. She is an experienced advisor in the fields of diplomacy, government and business. She holds a degree in Education from the University of Nanterrre and a Master's degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Fairleigh Dickson University.
MR. SIMON YOROU RAPHAEL
Adviser, Conference Management & Documentation
Mr. Simon Yorou Raphael is responsible for the documentation and archives of the mission. He prepares and administers documentation for the African Group, experts and other partners at high-level meetings and conferences. He also manages the dissemination of information between the African Union Mission and the United Nations and manages the mission database. He is a multi-lateral professional with 12 years of experience in records management, documentation and project management. He holds a Masters in Project Evaluation and Management from the University of Parakou.