Amara Essy, the seasoned diplomat who led Côte d'Ivoire’s foreign affairs for over a decade during the 1990s, has passed away. According to a Facebook post by the Ivorian Broadcasting Corporation (RTI), he died at his home in Abidjan-Cocody during the night of April 7 to 8, 2025.

Essy had declared his candidacy for the October 2015 presidential election but withdrew just three weeks before the vote.

Born on December 20, 1944, in Bouaké, Amara Essy was a highly respected figure in international diplomacy. He served as Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which later became the African Union, from 2001 to 2003.

His diplomatic journey began in the 1970s as First Counselor at the Ivorian Embassy in Brazil, where his resemblance to football legend Pelé earned him widespread recognition. His career would take him to the United Nations offices in Geneva (1975–1978), then to Buenos Aires, and later to New York (1981–1990). In 1990, he presided over the UN Security Council and later chaired the 49th session of the United Nations General Assembly (1994–1995).

Often describing himself as “more diplomat than politician,” Amara Essy entered the 2015 presidential race in opposition to President Alassane Ouattara, before stepping down shortly before the election.