Hadja Makalé Camara (born 1956) is a

Guinea Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Côte d'Ivoire to the southeast, and Sier ...

n lawyer, diplomat and politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea from 4 January 2016 to 2017.

Early life and education

Camara was born in Mamou in 1956. She graduated from the

Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry (in French ''L'Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry'', UGANC), is the largest university in Guinea. It is located in Dixinn Commune, Conakry, Guinea. The name is generally shortened to the University ...

with a master's degree in

Labour law Labour laws (also spelled as labor laws), labour code or employment laws are those that mediate the relationship between workers, employing entities, trade unions, and the government. Collective labour law relates to the tripartite relationship be ...

in 1980. She was a Humphrey Fellow.

Career

Camara worked in various public service roles from 1980 to 1985. In 1986, she was appointed Inspector General at the Ministry of the Civil Service, responsible for labor law and

arbitration Arbitration is a formal method of dispute resolution involving a third party neutral who makes a binding decision. The third party neutral (the 'arbitrator', 'arbiter' or 'arbitral tribunal') renders the decision in the form of an 'arbitrati ...

between trade unions and employers. From 1991 to 2002, she was a member of the Transitional National Recovery Committee. Camara was appointed to cabinet when Guinea was under military rule, in 1992 as Secretary of State for Social Affairs, Women's Promotion and Childhood, then in 1994 as Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Forestry. From 1997 to 2000 she chaired the Board of Directors of the National Office for Employment and Manpower, and during the war in Liberia and Sierra Leone she was Secretary General of Réseau des Femmes Africaines Ministres et Parlementaires (REFAMP) in Guinea. Camara was appointed Guinea's

Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

The Gambia The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...

Cape Verde Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...

and

Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...

in 2002, serving a five-year term. In 2007, she was appointed Ambassador to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

and

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

and was Guinea's representative to

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

Organisation internationale de la Francophonie The (OIF; sometimes shortened to ''La Francophonie'', , sometimes also called International Organisation of in English) is an international organization representing where there is a notable affiliation with French language and culture. ...

and

IBE IBE or Ibe may refer to: * Chidiebere Ibe, Nigerian medical illustrator and student *, Belgian singer; see '' The Voice van Vlaanderen'' *Identity-based encryption *Inference to the Best Explanation *Intercultural bilingual education * Internet Boo ...

. She served as REFAMP Secretary General from 2012 to 2015 and spoke out for

gender equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, gender egalitarianism, or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, an ...

. Camara was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of

Alpha Condé Alpha Condé (N'Ko: ; born 4 March 1938) is a Guinean politician who served as the fourth president of Guinea from 2010 to 2021. He spent decades in opposition to a succession of regimes in Guinea, unsuccessfully running against then-President L ...

on 4 January 2016. She is a member of the national steering committee for the "Fight against

Genital Mutilation Genital modifications are forms of body modifications applied to the human sex organs, human sexual organs, including invasive modifications performed through genital cutting or surgery. The term genital enhancement seem to be generally used for ...

Awards and honours

Camara was made a member of the National Order of Merit in July 2008.

References