Mamadou Tangara (born 4 June 1965) is a Gambian diplomat and politician who has served as

Minister of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...

since 2018, having previously served in 2012 and from 2010–2012. Tangara also served as Gambian Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2017–2018 and from 2013–2016.

Early life and education

Tangara was born in

Banjul Banjul (, (US) and ), officially the City of Banjul, is the capital city of The Gambia. It is the centre of the eponymous administrative division which is home to an estimated 400,000 residents, making it The Gambia's largest and most densely ...

in 1965. He completed two master's degrees, at the University of Limoges in

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 ...

and the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) in

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

. He went on to complete a

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

social science Social science (often rendered in the plural as the social sciences) is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among members within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the ...

s from the University of Limoges also.

Early career

Tangara was editor-in-chief of ''La Lune'', a magazine published in French aimed at French learners. From 2002, he worked as a lecturer at the University of the Gambia, and then as president and chairman of the University Governing Council.

Political career

From 2008 to 2010, he was coordinator of the National Authorizing Office Support Unit for EU-funded programmes and projects in the Gambia. He then became an advisor to president

Yahya Jammeh Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born 25 May 1965) is a Gambian politician and former soldier, who served as President of the Gambia from 1996 to 2017. He was the Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) from 1994 ...

regarding

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 ...

. He was appointed

by Jammeh in June 2010. He held the role until April 2012, when he was appointed Minister for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters. Consequently, he was reappointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in August 2012, holding it until November when he was appointed Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, in which he served until 2013. In 2013, Tangara was appointed Gambian Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He presented his credentials to

Secretary-General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, Power (social and political), power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the org ...

Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon (born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was the South Korean minister ...

on 13 September 2013. In December 2016, during the 2016–17 Gambian constitutional crisis, Tangara was among a number of Gambian diplomats who called for Jammeh to step down peacefully. On 20 December 2016, ''The Gambia Echo'' reported that Jammeh had dismissed Tangara and replaced him with lieutenant colonel Samsudeen Sarr as chargé d'affaires. Tangara was reappointed to the role on 3 May 2017 by

Adama Barrow Adama Barrow (, born 15 February 1965) is a The Gambia, Gambian politician and real estate developer who has served as President of The Gambia since 2017. Born in Mankamang Kunda, a village in Jimara district, he attended Crab Island Secondary ...

. In a cabinet reshuffle, effective 29 June 2018, Barrow appointed Tangara as Minister of Foreign Affairs, replacing

Ousainou Darboe A.N.M Ousainou Darboe (born 8 August 1948) is a Gambian politician and leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party (The Gambia), United Democratic Party (UDP). He previously served as Vice-President of the Gambia and Minister of Women's ...

who had been made

Vice-President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

Personal life

Tangara is married and has children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tangara, Mamadou Living people People from Banjul University of Limoges alumni Ministers of foreign affairs of the Gambia Université catholique de Louvain alumni 1965 births