Conseil de l’Entente: Ivorian diplomat Ouattara Wautabouna named new Secretary General

The Council of Foreign ministers of Conseil de l’Entente named Ivorian ambassador and Director General of the African Integration Ouattara Wautabouna as the new Secretary General of the West African regional organization in replacement of countryman Marcel Amon Tanoh.

Tanoh’s spell at the realm of the organization grouping Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin and Niger was very rough as it was marked by tension between the staff and him.

The former Ivorian Foreign minister joined the organization in January 2022 but in June this year, staff wrote a letter to Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe (who doubles as chair) to demand his immediate resignation.

The letter also accused the 71-year old diplomat of nepotism, non-compliance with recruitment and human resources management regulations, non-compliance with expenditure and procurement procedures.

Ouattara Wautabouna was reportedly appointed Monday September 11 to replace Tanoh. Created in May 1959, Conseil de l’Entente is the oldest West African regional organization. The bloc aims at consolidating peace and stability in member States, to promote economic, political and cultural integration.