Olivia Rouamba Explained

Olivia Rouamba
Office:Minister of Foreign Affairs
President:Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba
Ibrahim Traoré
Primeminister:Albert Ouédraogo
Apollinaire J. Kyélem de Tambèla
Term Start:March 2022
Term End:December 2023
Predecessor:Rosine Sori-Coulibaly
Successor:Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré
Occupation:Politician

Olivia Ragnaghnewendé Rouamba is a Burkina Faso politician who was the nation's Minister of Foreign Affairs from March 2022 to December 2023.

Education

Rouamba has a doctorate in international relations.

Career

Rouamba worked Director General of Bilateral Cooperation and was Second Counselor at Burkina Faso's embassy in South Africa.[1] On 15 September 2021 Rouamba was appointed by the Council of Ministers as Burkina Faso's ambassador to Ethiopia, as well as Permanent Representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.[2] [3]

Rouamba was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs by interim President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba on 5 March 2022 as part of the transitional government following the January coup.[4] [5] She was installed in Ouagadougou on 11 March 2022.[6] In her speech upon taking office, she said "Dear collaborators, I refuse to be traitors, we will refuse to be traitors and we will accomplish this mission with abnegation."[2]

In March and again in April, she said that a three year transition period back to democracy proposed by the military junta was "realistic".[7] [8] In July, she said that the two-year period had been suggested by the nation's junta rather than imposed by ECOWAS "as some are saying on the internet."[9] On 15 July, United Nations Peacebuilding Commission Chair Rahab Fatima met with Rouamba, affirming the ECOWAS timetable and strongly encouraging Burkina Faso to "swiftly implement ... a peaceful and inclusive transition process with respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law."[10]

A decree read on national television announced Rouamba was fired as foreign minister on 17 December 2023 following a "mini-reshuffle" led by Burkinabé president Ibrahim Traoré. She was replaced by Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, who was the minister delegate for regional cooperation at the time. Analysts said her sacking came as a surprise, since she was said to be in Traoré's "close circle".[11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Burkina-Faso : Mme Olivia ROUAMBA à la mesure du concept diplomatique. July 2022. 22 September 2022. Eric. Kponsou. Miroir D'Afrique.
  2. Web site: ACTUALITÉS :: INSTALLATION DU MINISTRE DES AFFAIRES ÉTRANGÈRES : « JE REFUSE D'ÊTRE TRAÎTRE (...). lefaso.net. March 2022. 22 September 2022. Hamed. Nanema. French.
  3. Web site: Ambassade du Burkina Faso à Addis-Abeba : Madame Olivia R. ROUAMBA dit au revoir au personnel. French. 20 July 2022. 22 September 2022. Les Echoes du Faso's.
  4. Web site: Burkina: la ministre Olivia Ragnaghnewendé Rouamba décline ses priorités à la Diplomatie. French. 11 March 2022. 22 September 2022. Wakat Sera.
  5. Web site: Burkina Faso names government following January coup. 7 March 2022. 22 September 2022. Borneo Bulletin.
  6. Web site: Burkina Faso : La patronne de la diplomatie, Olivia Rouamba, as pris fonction. Quotidien Numérique d'Afrique. Abdoul Karim. Tapsoba.
  7. Web site: Burkina Faso Minister:36 Months 'Realistic' for Transition to Democracy. 31 March 2022. 22 September 2022. Reuters. US News.
  8. Web site: Burkina Faso junta defends three-year plan for transition to constitutional rule. 28 April 2022. 22 September 2022. France 24.
  9. Web site: FM says two-year civilian rule timeline Burkina Faso's proposal. Africa News. 7 July 2022. 22 September 2022.
  10. Web site: Note to Correspondents – Statement by the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission on Burkina Faso. United Nations Secretary General. United Nations. 19 July 2022. 22 September 2022.
  11. Web site: Burkina Faso's military leader sacks foreign minister . 2023-12-18 . www.aa.com.tr.