Henriette Diabaté

Henriette Diabaté (born March 13, 1935) is an Ivorian politician and writer. A member of the Rally of the Republicans (RDR), Diabaté was Minister of Culture in Côte d'Ivoire from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2000; later, she was Minister of Justice from 2003 to 2005. She has been the Secretary-General of the RDR since 1999.[1]

Diabaté was born in Bingerville. She was a professor of history from 1965 to 1995 and was a founding member of the RDR.[1]

A number of RDR leaders, including Diabaté, were arrested on October 27, 1999[2] on the grounds that they were responsible for violence occurring during protests they organized; in November, they were convicted and sentenced to prison. When soldiers rebelled on December 23, 1999, one of their demands was the release of the imprisoned RDR leaders; when President Henri Konan Bédié rejected the demands, they seized power on December 24 and promptly released the RDR prisoners.[3] Subsequently, Diabaté served as Minister of Culture and La Francophonie under the transitional military regime in 2000.[1] She was designated Great Chancellor of Ivorian National Order by President Alassane Ouattara on May 18, 2011 and become the first woman at this highest-ranking of the country.

Diabaté is married to Lamine Diabaté, a former Minister of State, and has five children.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Biographical page at RDR website (French).
  2. ↑ "COTE D'IVOIRE: US Worried about arrests", IRIN, November 1, 1999.
  3. ↑ "COTE D'IVOIRE: Military coup announced", IRIN, December 24, 1999.

External links

Preceded by
?		 Minister of Culture (Côte d'Ivoire)
1990-1993 		Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
?		 Minister of Justice (Côte d'Ivoire)
2003-2005 		Succeeded by
?