Amara Essy

Amara Essy (born December 20, 1944 [http://www.amaraessy.com/en/cv.htm CV at Essy's website] .] ) is a diplomat from Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

Essy was born in Bouake. He was the Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations from 1981 to 1990, and in January 1990 he was President of the United Nations Security Council. [ [http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/scpres1990.htm "Presidents of the Security Council: 1990-1999"] , UN.org.] In 1990 he became Minister of Foreign Affairs, and while in that position he served as President of the 49th Session of the United Nations General Assembly from 1994 to 1995. In 1998 he gained the rank of Minister of State, while remaining Foreign Minister. Along with other ministers, he was detained following the military coup of December 24, 1999, but he was released on December 28. ["Cote d'Ivoire: Junta releases half-dozen ex-ministers", AFP, December 28, 1999.] He was replaced in the transitional government named on January 4, 2000. [ [http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/OUEST/cotedivoire/cotedivoiregvts/cotedivoiregvt012000.htm "Le gouvernement de transition de Côte d'Ivoire formé le 4 janvier 2000"] , "Afrique Express" fr icon.]

On July 9, 2001 he was elected secretary-general of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Lusaka, Zambia, with the task of leading the OAU's transformation into the African Union over the course of one year. [ [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=23232 "COTE D'IVOIRE: Amara Essy’s election celebrated"] , IRIN, July 13, 2001.] He took office as secretary-general in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on September 17, 2001. [ [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=27032 "AFRICA: New OAU head takes over"] , IRIN, September 17, 2001.] Essy served in that position until July 9, 2002, when the OAU became the African Union and he was appointed as interim Chairman of the Commission of the African Union. [ [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-88639537.html "Essy appointed interim AU commission chairman."] , Xinhua (highbeam.com), July 9, 2002.]

Essy was initially a candidate for the post of Chairman of the Commission at the AU's July 2003 summit in Maputo, but he withdrew prior to the vote, leaving Alpha Oumar Konaré, the former President of Mali, as the only candidate. ["Profile: Konare, chairman of African Union Commission", Xinhua (nl.newsbank.com), July 10, 2003.] [ [http://www.afrique-express.com/homesafex/pagesaccueil/ouaua/274sommetdelunion.htm "Sommet de l’Union Africaine: Le Malien Alpha Oumar Konaré élu président de la Commission"] , "Afrique Express", N° 274, July 16, 2003 fr icon.] Essy remained interim Chairman of the Commission until he was succeeded by Konaré on September 16, 2003. [ [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=46201 "AFRICA: Former Malian president takes over as AU chair"] , IRIN, September 17, 2003.]

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