Youssoufou Bamba

He served as the Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations from 2010 to 2014; when he was appointed to the position by Alassane Ouattara after the latter claimed victory in the disputed presidential election of that year.

Prior to working in politics, Mr Bamba received degrees from Institut International d'Administration Publique and the University of Abidjan.

His later career consisted of numerous overseas postings as an Ambassador, in such countries as Japan, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

[1] During the unrest between President Alassane Ouattara and ousted leader Laurent Gbagbo, Bamba described the country as "on the verge of genocide" and, after peacekeeping forces withdrew, successfully negotiated the use of UAVs to patrol the border with Liberia.

[2][3] He was fired from his post in the United Nations in March 2015 after the French magazine 'Jeune Afrique' quoted him as saying that West Sahara was ""the one territory that is not yet autonomous in Africa.