Our Team in Congo

Mr. Diallo brings over 20 years of experience in the field of development to his role as United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Republic of the Congo. Prior to this appointment, he held several leadership positions with UNESCO, most recently serving as UNESCO Representative in Nigeria, where he oversaw the organization’s work across education, science, culture, and communication.

He also served as Head of Office and UNESCO Representative in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo (2009–2013), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (2014–2018), and Accra, Ghana (2018–2023).

Mr. Diallo began his career at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris as a member of the Permanent Delegation of Niger to UNESCO. In 2002, he joined the Africa Department as a Programme Specialist, responsible for managing cooperation with the African Union and various subregional and regional African organizations. In 2006, he led the Section for Regional Organizations and Post-Conflict Situations, focusing on the specific needs of African countries in crisis and post-conflict contexts, and on strengthening collaboration with the African Union and African regional economic communities.

Mr. Diallo holds an engineering degree in industrial computing from the École des Hautes Études Industrielles in Lille, France, and a Master of Business Administration in International Business Engineering from the Institut Supérieur de Gestion in Paris.

Ms. Adama-Dian Barry brings over 20 years of experience in the strategic management of public development programmes in Africa. Prior to her appointment as Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Republic of the Congo, she held several senior roles within the Organization, providing strategic advice and expertise to more than 20 countries.

From 2019 to 2023, she served as UNDP Resident Representative in Mauritania. Between 2015 and 2019, she worked at the UNDP Sub-Regional Office for Africa in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and at the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) in New York, covering more than six countries in her portfolio.

Before joining UNDP in 2003, Ms. Barry worked with several non-governmental organizations engaged in development work.

She holds a degree in political science from the Catholic University of Mons in Belgium. She also holds a diploma in international relations from the École nationale d’administration (ENA) in Paris and the Institute of International Relations of Cameroon (IRIC).

Dr. Agnès Kayitankore brings over 26 years of experience to her role as Resident Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Republic of the Congo, a position she has held since 13 April 2025.

Since joining UNFPA in 2009, she has held several senior leadership positions, providing strategic oversight for programmes across multiple country offices. She notably served as Acting Resident Representative and Deputy Representative in the Central African Republic, and also held leadership roles in Ghana, Uganda, and Rwanda.

Prior to joining UNFPA, Dr. Kayitankore was a lecturer at the National University of Rwanda from 1999 to 2009. She also contributed to the development of national strategic planning documents while working with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning of Rwanda. In addition, she served as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Rwanda Development Board.

A Rwandan national, Dr. Kayitankore holds a PhD in Economics and a Master’s degree in Development Studies, with a specialization in economic development, from the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Rwanda.

A Haitian national, Ms. Célestin joined IFC in 2006 in the Transactions Group of the Financial Markets Department. Since then, she has held various positions, including as IFC's Regional Financial Services Representative (FIG) for Central and Anglophone West Africa, based in Nigeria. In this role, she contributed to the growth of IFC's activities and the expansion of its presence in IDA countries and fragile states affected by violence and conflict (FCV). Prior to joining IFC, Ms. Célestin held several senior positions in commercial banks in Haiti. She holds a Master of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.

Ms. Célestin succeeds Ms. Louise Pierrette Mvono, who has returned to her home country to assume new responsibilities.

Mr. Dadémanao Pissang Tchangaï is the Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the Republic of the Congo. He brings over 25 years of experience in animal health, food security, and agricultural development.

He joined FAO in 2018 as Representative in Djibouti, also accredited to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). From 2016 to 2018, he served as Team Leader and Consultant at the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) within the FAO Representation in Burkina Faso.

Mr. Tchangaï began his career in 1998 as Director of Laboratories at the Togolese Institute of Agronomic Research (ITRA) in Lomé. From 2000 to 2003, he worked with the NGO Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders (AVSF) in Liberia, first as Technical Assistant and later as Head of Mission.

He holds a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the Inter-State School of Veterinary Sciences and Medicine (EISMV) in Dakar, a Master’s degree (DEA) in Parasitology from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, and a Master’s degree in Agro-Food Technology from the National School for Agricultural and Food Industries (ENSIA SIARC) in Montpellier, France.

Ms. Fatoumata Barry Marega serves as Representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the Republic of the Congo, a position she has held since 17 February 2021.

She joined UNESCO in 1996 and has served at the Regional Office in Dakar (Senegal) and the Country Office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over the course of her career, she has led education system reforms in more than ten African countries, contributing to improvements in education quality and governance across the region.

Ms. Marega holds a postgraduate degree in curriculum development, planning, and education systems management from Paris (France), and a Master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Quebec in Montreal (Canada).

Mr. Gon Myers serves as Representative and Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Republic of the Congo, a position he has held since February 2024. He brings over 26 years of experience with WFP in humanitarian assistance, food security, rural development, and emergency operations.

He began his career at WFP Headquarters in Rome as a Programme Officer, and subsequently held several leadership roles in the field. He served as WFP Representative and Country Director in Sierra Leone and Senegal, and most recently as Head of Operations in Burkina Faso. His assignments have also taken him to Niger, Kenya, Haiti, Tanzania, Chad, and Egypt, where he led projects focused on water conservation, natural resource management, and emergency and recovery operations.

A national of Liberia and the Netherlands, Mr. Myers holds a Master of Business Administration from the Maastricht School of Management (Netherlands), a Master’s degree in Development Economics from the Institute of Social Studies at Erasmus University (Netherlands), and a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Liberia.

Ms. Mariavittoria Ballotta has served as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in the Republic of the Congo since 13 August 2025. She brings extensive experience in international development, child protection, education, and strategic planning.

Prior to her appointment in Brazzaville, Ms. Ballotta held several senior positions with UNICEF, including Regional Chief of Programmes and Planning at the West and Central Africa Regional Office (Dakar), Deputy Representative in Sao Tome and Principe (2018–2021), and Regional Specialist for Early Childhood Development. In these roles, she contributed significantly to advancing children’s rights, transforming social systems, and designing data-driven national programmes.

An Italian national with a diplomatic background, Ms. Ballotta is recognized for her expertise in planning, monitoring and evaluation, data for impact, and the mobilization of strategic partnerships.

In her current role, she works closely with the government, civil society, and development partners to advance child rights, promote equity, and drive sustainable change for girls and boys across the country. She also contributes to the broader efforts of the United Nations system in support of national development priorities.

Mr. Pango Mashimango is Security Adviser for the United Nations in the Republic of Congo.

He brings extensive experience in security risk management in complex settings and is responsible for coordinating the United Nations Security Management System in the country. His mandate includes developing, implementing, and monitoring security strategies to ensure the safety and protection of UN personnel, premises, and operations.

Prior to his assignment in Congo, Mr. Pango served with UNDSS in multiple duty stations, where he provided expertise in crisis response, risk mitigation, and inter-agency coordination on security matters.

Dr Vincent Dossou Sodjinou serves as the World Health Organization (WHO) Resident Representative in the Republic of the Congo. A medical doctor and public health specialist, he brings recognized expertise in global health security, health system strengthening, and universal health coverage.

He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health with a specialization in quality of care and health services management, as well as a Master’s degree in vaccinology. He also holds certificates in malariology and the control of priority diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV.

From 2001 to 2010, he held several leadership roles within Benin’s national health system, including District Medical Officer, Head of the Departmental Public Health Service, and member of the national technical group responsible for designing and implementing high-impact intervention packages and the national health compact.

At the international level, he served as a STOP volunteer for polio eradication with WHO in Chad, and as Vaccination and Polio Specialist with UNICEF Chad from 2010 to 2012.