WHO Country Representative

WHO Representative to Ethiopia - Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré

Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré graduated as a medical doctor from the National School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bamako, Mali in 1984 with honors. She also attended the Free University of Brussels School of Public Health where she obtained a special degree in public health (Family health optional subject) with outstanding distinction in 1990. Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré has also obtained certificates in applied statistical and computer epidemiological methods from the Belgian School of Public Health (1991) and Certificate in health program management and economics from Boston University, USA (1993)

Since May 1986, Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré has worked in a number of responsible positions in the area of public health in her country and in international organizations. She has been Minister of Health, Social Affairs, Solidarity and the Elderly of Mali from 2000 to 2002. Other important responsibilities she has undertaken include the following:

• Director, Health, Population and Rural Water Resource project covering the entire country;
• Public health and nutrition Specialist for the resident mission of the World Bank in Bamako;
• Director of Rollback Malaria Department of WHO, Geneva;
• Executive Secretary, Rollback Malaria partnership Secretariat, Geneva;
• Advisor to the Assistant Director General for HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria (HTM/WHO, Geneva);
• WHO Representative to Congo;
• WHO Representative to Ethiopia.

Dr Nafo-Traoré has also served as:

• President of the Assembly of Ministers of CEDEAO/ECOWAS;
• Member of the group of experts responsible for selecting projects submitted to Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization ( GAVI) for funding;
• Member of the Board of GAVI;
• Member of the UNAIDS/WHO technical working group to speed up access to care as part of efforts to control HIV/AIDS;
• Member of the UNAIDS review group on the economic impact of AIDS and the transition group for the development of the Global Fund;
• Member of the Strategic Advisory Council (SAC) Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) Antwerp Belgium;

Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré is a Malian Citizen. She assumed the position of WHO Representative to Ethiopia in January 2008.