The Hon. Amara Essy
The Hon. Amara Essy is the Distinguished Senior Fellow and Head of Africa Program of the Foundation for a World in Transition.
The Hon. Amara Essy served as Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ivory Coast, General Secretary of the Organization of the African Unity and Interim Chairman of the African Union, and as President of the 49th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
He served as Interim Chairman of the Commission of the African Union from 2002 to 2003, and as Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) from 2001 to 2002 with the task of leading the OAU's transformation into the African Union over the course of one year.
He served as Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ivory Coast from 1998 to 2000.
He went to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1998, and while in that position as President of the 49th session of the United Nations General Assembly from 1994 to 1995.
He was the Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations from 1981 to 1990, and he served as President of the United Nations Security Council in January 1990.
