Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
First Female Ambassadors s-z

This is the list of the first women appointed as ambassadors in the countries which has had a female ambassador to this date. Some of the information in this list is supplied by Mart Martin

T U V W X Y Z


St. Christopher and Nevis

1991-97 Laurine Fenton, Canada (For the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States)

St. Lucia

1997-? Sonia M. Johnny, OAS and USA

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

1991-97 Laurine Fenton, Canada (For the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States)

2001-07 Margaret Hughes Ferrari, United Nations

Samoa

1993-97 Ambassador Masiofo La'ulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa, New Zealand
Also known as Fetaui Mata'afa, she was married to Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II, Samoa's first Prime Minister following independence. In 1964 she had bestowed upon her the chiefly orator's title "La'ulu" from the village of Lotofaga. After his death she was MP 1975-89,Consul General to New Zealand 1989-93 and held a number of other posts within the community and charities. One of her sisters, Matatumua Maimoaga Vermuellen was also an MP. Mother of one daughter, the paramount chief, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, who has been Minister in the government since 1989, and lived (1928–2007).

San Marino

Circa 1989-93 Savina Zafferani, Italy
From 1995 to China and 1996 to Bruxelles and the European Union (From the Foreign Ministry in San Marino)

Sao Tome e Principi

1975-79 Maria do Nascimenta Gracia Amorin, France and Portugal
Minister of Foreign Affairs 1979-85

Senegal

1973-? Absa Claude Diallo, UNESCO
1993-circa 97 Denmark
Circa 1997-2004 United Nations in Génève

Seychelles

1980-87 Giovinella Gonthier, United Nations and USA
1987-circa 97 The European Union

1983-85 Danielle Jorre de St. Jorre, United Kingdom, USSR, France, Western Germany, Canada and Cuba
Minister of Foreign Affairs 1990 til her death in 1997.

Sierra Leone

Circa 1970 Shirley Y. Gbiyama, Ethiopia and Zambia
In the 1990s Minister in the government

Singapore

1989-96 Chan Heng Chee, United Nations
1996-? USA, Mexcico, Canada

1993 Jayalekshime Mohideu, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg, European Communities and the Vatican

Slovakia

1994-? Klára Novotná, Sweden

1994-2004 Vera Stráznická, Poland and the European Council

Slovenia

1992-? Dr. Katja Boh, Austria and the Organization of Security and  Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Minister of Health 1991-92

Somalia 

Until 1990 Fatuma Isak Bihi, United Nations in Génève
She was dismissed for misconduct.

South Africa

1989-91 Cecilia Johanna Schmidt, Austria

Spain

1933 Isabel de Zulueta, Chancelier of the Spanish Legation at Panama

1985-94 Maria de las Mercedes Rico Carabia, Costa Rica
1994-2005  Italy, San Marino and Albania

Sri Lanka

1966-? Lorani Senarathna, Ghana

1975-80 Irangani Manele Kamangara Abeysejera, Thailand (Chargé)
1980-83 Ambassador to Thailand
1988-90 Austria and Germany
1990-? Switzerland

1977-? Theja Gunawardene, Pakistan and Iran

Suriname

Ca. 1994-? Hildegonde E C Van Frederikslust-Kamp, United Kingdom

Sudan

1999-? Zeinab Muhammad Mahmoud Abd Al-Karim, to ?
Worked in the Ministry of foreign affairs since 1977 and has been posted in Paris, Doha and Cairo as diplomat.  

Swaziland

1990-98 Mary Madzandza Kanya, Canada
1994-2005 Ambassador to USA, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico
2005-? High Commissioner to United Kingdom of Great Britain

Sweden

1632-34 Catarina Stopia, accredited to Moscow
The Swedish Council of State credited her as Envoy after the death of her husband, Johan Möller av Liljenhagen, and she completed a negotiation regarding trade relations with Russia.

1951-55 Alva Reimer Myrdal, India, Burma, Nepal and Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
1955-66 India
1961-66 Ambassador in the Foreign Ministry in charge of Disarmament
Later she was Minister in the governement of Church affairs

Switzerland

1982-88 Francesca Pometta, United Nations (Observer)
1987-? Italy

Syria

1988-? Siba Naser, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and the European communities

T

Taiwan

1997-2001 Catherine S.Y. Chang, Saint Christopher and Nevis
Until 2006 Envoy to the Netherlands.
From 2001 Spokesperson of the Foreign Office (Director of the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs) and since 2006 Deputy Foreign Minister.

Tanzania

1961-? Fatuma Tatu Nuru, Ethiopia
?-1988-? France
1989-92 Spain etc.
1992-? Ethiopia

1963-? Dora Bantu, to ?

Thailand

1993-? Suchira Hiranprueck, Russia

1996-  L. Laohaphani, Australia

Togo

Circa 1980 Biyémi Kekeh, Cuba
1982-83 United Nations
Former Minister

Tonga

1996-2000 'Akosita Finenganofo, United Kingdom, Belgium, The Netherlands and
Luxemburg, European Union, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and USA.
Former Director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Trinidad And Tobago

......Audrey Jeffens
Somewhere mentioned as the first female ambassador. Year and posting unknown

1970-71 Isabel U Tesha, Ethiopia and Zambia
1973-76 Senegal
The first female MP and Former Minister in the Government

Tunesia

1993-?  Zeinouba Khomsi Maaref, Malta

Turkey

1982-? Filiz Dincimen, The Netherlands