Henriette Diabaté

Who is Henriette Diabaté?

Henriette Diabaté is an Ivorian politician and writer. A member of the Rally of the Republicans, 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.

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

A number of RDR leaders, including Diabaté, were arrested on October 27, 1999 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. Subsequently, Diabaté served as Minister of Culture and La Francophonie under the transitional military regime in 2000. 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.