M'Mahawa Sylla is a
Guinean army officer.
She is the one and only woman to have reached the rank of general since the creation of the Guinean army in 1960.
Since September 10, 2021, she has been the
governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
of the
city of Conakry.
Education
M'Mahawa Sylla studied in Guinea and graduated with a higher education diploma in
economics
Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
and management from the
Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry. She graduated from the CISD of the Higher Defense College in Beijing in 2014.
Officer career
Captain of the Guinean women's handball team, M'Mahawa Sylla was chosen by the Guinean army to join the Sports Association of the Armed Forces of Guinea (Asfag) in 1985.
She participated in the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
mission in
Côte d'Ivoire
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest city and ...
called
ONUCI.
In 2013, she became a colonel in the army. From the end of 2017 to September 2021, she was the Deputy Secretary General of the National Defense Council.
Governor
After the
coup d'état of September 5, 2021 by the CNRD,
Brigadier General M'Mahawa Sylla was appointed to the post of governor of the city of Conakry, replacing General Mathurin Bangoura, in office since 2016.
Awards and recognition
* 2021: First female brigadier general.
* 2021: First female governor of the city of Conakry.
* 2022: Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sylla, MMahawa
Living people
21st-century Guinean economists
Guinean women in politics
Guinean generals
Brigadier generals
Year of birth missing (living people)
Female generals
Women economists
Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry alumni