Côte d’Ivoire: Top diplomat elected Senate speaker

Kandia Camara, Côte d’Ivoire’s Foreign Minister, was elected Thursday October 12 Speaker of the country’s Senate, the first time a woman will lead the upper house of the country’s legislature.

The 64-year-old diplomat landed 91 votes out of 97. She was appointed member of the house Monday October 9 by the country’s leader Alassane Outtara.

Mrs Camara was the only candidate for the seat of the Senate Speaker. The voting process of the chamber based in the political capital Yamoussoukro took place in the presence of the Vice-President of the country Tiemoko Meyliet Kone.

“I will strive to be a President who brings people together,” she said after the vote. The country held mid-September senators’ elections. 64 were elected while 33 including Mrs Camara were appointed by the President.

Camara will head the institution until 2028. She was appointed Foreign Minister in 2021, first time ever a women held the position in the history of the West African country.