Dominique Awono Essama is a Cameroonian diplomat who has been Cameroon's Ambassador to Italy since 2008.Awono Essama graduated from the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC) and held a post at Cameroon's Embassy to the Netherlands before being moved to a post at the Embassy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1] He was Head of State Protocol for ten years before President Paul Biya appointed him as Ambassador to Italy to replace Michael Kima Tabong[2] on 9 June 2008. He presented his credentials to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on 21 January 2009.[3] Awono Essama was additionally accredited as Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), based in Rome, on 21 November 2009.[4]