MALI NAMES NEW AMBASSADOR TO THE UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAMAKO 000238 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV ML SUBJECT: MALI NAMES NEW AMBASSADOR TO THE UN Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 1.(U) On March 5 Mali named Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director of Political Affairs, Amb. Oumar Daou, as its next Ambassador to the United Nations (More detailed bio to be sent septel). Amb. Daou will replace Mali's current Ambassador to the UN, Cheikh Sidi Diarra. Amb. Daou has been an extremely close and helpful contact for Embassy Bamako. He has participated in numerous Embassy events and USG sponsored programs including training run by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS). The new Director of Political Affairs at the MFA is Sekouba Cisse. Mr. Cisse was previously Mali's Ambassador to Libya. 2.(C) The appointment marks a significant step forward for Amb. Daou, as the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moctar Ouane, is also a former Malian Ambassador to the UN. Daou is believed to be very close to Minister Ouane. Although we regard Amb. Daou as an important and reliable contact whom we often see on a daily basis, it is quite likely that the Iranian and Cuban Embassies in Bamako are currently sending similarly favorable assessments back to Tehran and Havana. 3.(U) Embassy Bamako is also losing a second key contact within the MFA as Secretary General Moussa Diakite has been named as Mali's next Ambassador to Egypt. Based in Cairo, he will be accredited to Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Sudan and Iraq. Replacing Diakite as the number two person at the MFA will be Al-Maamoun Baba Lamine Keita, previously Mali's Ambassador to Ethiopia. 4.(U) The March 5 communique also named Brigadier General Brehima Coulibaly, President ATT's personal military advisor, as Mali's new Ambassador to Russia. MCCULLEY