Morissanda Kouyaté is a Guinean politician and activist who has particularly distinguished himself in the fight against female genital mutilation since the 1980s. Co-founder of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) in 1984 in Dakar, he served as Executive Director of the Inter-African Committee on Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC), before being appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Guineans Abroad in Guinea, a position he has held since October 2021 under three successive governments. His international commitment has been notably demonstrated through his co-drafting of UN Resolution 67/146 in 2012 against FGM, and his efforts were rewarded in 2020 with the prestigious Nelson Mandela Prize.
Morissanda Kouyaté is a Guinean politician and human rights activist who has distinguished himself through his commitment against female genital mutilation and his diplomatic role within his country's government.
Human Rights Advocacy
At the beginning of his career, Kouyaté dedicated himself to protecting the rights of women and children in Africa. In 1984, he marked a decisive turning point in this fight by co-founding in Dakar, Senegal, the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC), an organization devoted to combating practices harmful to the health of women and children.
His career in this field led him to the executive directorship of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC), where he continued his work raising awareness and taking action against female genital mutilation.
International Contributions
One of Kouyaté's major accomplishments on the international stage was his contribution as co-author of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 67/146 in 2012. This historic resolution called on all nations to commit to the eradication of female genital mutilation, demonstrating the global impact of his commitment.
Political Career
Morissanda Kouyaté's political career took a new turn in October 2021, when he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Guineans Abroad in Mohamed Béavogui's government. He maintained this position under Bernard Goumou's government from August 2022 to February 2024, and was then reappointed to his position in March 2024 in Bah Oury's government, testifying to the consistency of his diplomatic commitment to Guinea.
International Recognition
In recognition of his work and commitment to human rights, Morissanda Kouyaté was awarded the prestigious Nelson Mandela Prize in 2020, a distinction he shared with Greek philanthropist Marianna Vardinogianni. This award underscores the significant impact of his action at both continental and international levels.
