François Lonseny Fall
Encyclopedia
François Lonseny Fall is a Guinea
n diplomat and political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Guinea from February 23, 2004 to April 30, 2004.
Fall received a master's degree in law from the University of Conakry in 1976 and was Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law at the same university from 1977 to 1979. He then began a diplomatic career, holding diplomatic posts in Paris
, New York City
, Lagos
, Cairo
, and Conakry
from 1982 to 1990; he was then Director of the Department of Legal and Consular Affairs at the Guinean Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 2000.
Fall was Guinea's Permanent Representative to the United Nations
from 2000 to 2002. In 2000, he was Vice-President of the Fifty-Fifth Session of the United Nations General Assembly
. From 2000 to 2002, he was a member of the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. He was then appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs on June 10, 2002. As Foreign Minister, he was Guinea's delegate to the United Nations
security council during the debate over the United States
military action in Iraq
, and he acted as President of the United Nations Security Council
in March 2003. He was also a member of the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) Ministerial Committee for Security and Mediation from 2002 to 2004.
He was appointed as Prime Minister on February 23, 2004. After only two months, Fall resigned as Prime Minister on April 30, saying that President Lansana Conté
would not let him attempt to fix the economy. He was not replaced as Prime Minister until December 2004, and until June 2004 there was some dispute as to whether he had actually left office formally.
In May 2005, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
appointed Fall to be his Special Representative for Somalia
. In that capacity, Fall also assumed charge of the UN's Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), located in Nairobi
, Kenya
. From the date of his appointment through mid-2005, Fall's principal task was to persuade and assist rival Somali warlords to lay down their weapons, resolve their differences, and restore national government to a country that had not had one since 1992.
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n diplomat and political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Guinea from February 23, 2004 to April 30, 2004.
Fall received a master's degree in law from the University of Conakry in 1976 and was Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law at the same university from 1977 to 1979. He then began a diplomatic career, holding diplomatic posts in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, and Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
from 1982 to 1990; he was then Director of the Department of Legal and Consular Affairs at the Guinean Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 2000.
Fall was Guinea's Permanent Representative to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
from 2000 to 2002. In 2000, he was Vice-President of the Fifty-Fifth Session of the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
. From 2000 to 2002, he was a member of the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. He was then appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs on June 10, 2002. As Foreign Minister, he was Guinea's delegate to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
security council during the debate over the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military action in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and he acted as President of the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
in March 2003. He was also a member of the Economic Community of West African States
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
(ECOWAS) Ministerial Committee for Security and Mediation from 2002 to 2004.
He was appointed as Prime Minister on February 23, 2004. After only two months, Fall resigned as Prime Minister on April 30, saying that President Lansana Conté
Lansana Conté
Lansana Conté was the second President of Guinea from 3 April 1984 until his death. He was a Muslim and a member of the Susu ethnic group.-Early life:...
would not let him attempt to fix the economy. He was not replaced as Prime Minister until December 2004, and until June 2004 there was some dispute as to whether he had actually left office formally.
In May 2005, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
appointed Fall to be his Special Representative for Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. In that capacity, Fall also assumed charge of the UN's Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), located in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. From the date of his appointment through mid-2005, Fall's principal task was to persuade and assist rival Somali warlords to lay down their weapons, resolve their differences, and restore national government to a country that had not had one since 1992.