Maman Sambo Sidikou


Maman Sambo Sidikou is a diplomat and a former Nigerien politician. Currently is the head of the Permanent Secretariat of the G5 Sahel. He was appointed by the G5 Sahel heads of State at their summit in Niamey, Niger on 6 February 2018. Prior to his current appointment, Ambassador Sidikou served as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from October 2015 until 31 January 2018.
Before then, Mr. Sidikou served as the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia between 2014 and 2015.
Broadly, Mr. Sidikou, a Nigerien, has vast diplomatic and public service experience, with more than 25 years in his country's domestic and Foreign Services as well as with international organizations including the United Nations and the African Union. 
Mr. Sidikou served in various senior capacities in his Government's Service since 1976, most recently as Ambassador of Niger to the United States. In 1999, he served as Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic of Niger with ministerial rank and from 1997 to 1999 as Niger's Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration. He also served as the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister and Director for the National Television within the Ministry of Information.
Between 1999 and 2011, Mr. Sidikou worked for the World Bank in Washington DC; for UNICEF in Nigeria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan; and, for Save the Children – UK in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 
Initially trained as a journalist, Mr. Sidikou studied degree Political Science in Madrid and holds a PhD in Education from Florida State University.