Aïchatou Mindaoudou Souleymane

Aïchatou Mindaoudou Souleymane (born 1959) is a Nigerien diplomat and politician who has been the United Nations' Special Representative for Côte d'Ivoire and Head of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) since 2013. Previously she was Deputy Joint Special Representative (Political) in the African Union–United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) from 2011 to 2013.

A member of the MNSD-Nassara political party, Mindaoudou served in the government of Niger as Minister of Social Development from 1995 to 1996; subsequently she was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2001 to 2010.

In the first government of Prime Minister Hama Amadou, named on February 25, 1995, Mindaoudou was Minister of Social Development, Population and the Advancement of Women. This government was ousted in a military coup on January 27, 1996.

After another coup in April 1999, Mindaoudou was named Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration on April 16, 1999 under the transitional military regime of Daouda Malam Wanké. Although she was not included in the new civilian government named on January 5, 2000, she became Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration in the next government, which was named on September 17, 2001.

She remained in the government of Prime Minister Seyni Oumarou, appointed in June 2007, despite President Tandja Mamadou's decision that ministers who had served in the government for over five years should be excluded from the government on this occasion. Mindaoudou was made an exception because it was considered important to maintain continuity in the conduct of foreign affairs.

Her term as foreign minister ended in March 2010 when the transitional cabinet of Mahamadou Danda took office.

She was appointed as Deputy Joint Special Representative (Political) in the African Union–United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Chairperson of the African Union, Jean Ping, on 13 May 2011. Two years later, she was instead appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as Special Representative for Côte d'Ivoire and Head of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire on 17 May 2013.

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