Teneng Mba Jaiteh

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Teneng Mba Jaiteh

| image = Teneng Mba Jaiteh - 2014 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Teneng Mba Jaiteh in 2014

| office = Ambassador of the Gambia to the European Union

| term_start = January 2015

| term_end =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| office2 = Minister of Energy

| term_start2 =

| term_end2 = 17 February 2014

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 =

| office3 = Secretary General of the Civil Service

| term_start3 = 2008

| term_end3 = 2009

| predecessor3 = Ousman Jammeh

| successor3 =

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| nationality = Gambian

| party =

| spouse =

| children =

| alma_mater = University of Sierra Leone's Fourabay College, London School of Economics

}}

Teneng Mba Jaiteh is a Gambian politician who serves as Gambia's ambassador to the European Union as well as 7 of its member states.

Early life and education

Jaiteh was educated at the University of Sierra Leone's Fourabay College and the London School of Economics. She has a BA in History and an MSc in Development Studies.{{cite web|url=http://www.theafricancourier.de/europe/blacks-in-prague/|title=Interview with Gambia's Ambassador to the EU, HE Teneng Mba Jaiteh|work=African Courier|accessdate=19 January 2017|first=Ousainou|last=Bayo|year=2016}}

Career

Jaiteh served as Deputy State Secretary in The Gambia's Department of Finance and Economic Affairs in 2003, and as Secretary General of the Civil Service from 2008 to 2009, replacing Ousman Jammeh in the post.{{cite book|page=228|title=Historical Dictionary of The Gambia|first=David|last=Perfect|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2016|isbn=9781442265264|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9MknDAAAQBAJ}}

On 29 May 2009, Jaiteh was appointed Deputy Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources by President Yahya Jammeh. She was later appointed Minister of Energy, but was relieved of that appointment on 17 February 2014 when Jammeh said the portfolio would come under his office.{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201402191174.html|title=Gambia: Teneng-Mba Jaiteh Removed|work=The Daily Observer (Banjul)|date=19 February 2014|accessdate=19 January 2017}} She became one of nearly 200 cabinet ministers and government officials to be hired and fired by Jammeh since he came to power in a 1994 coup.{{cite web|url=http://www.afronline.org/?p=33023#more-33023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421185155/http://www.afronline.org/?p=33023#more-33023|url-status=usurped|archive-date=21 April 2015|title=Gambia's Jammeh wields the axe|date=7 March 2014|accessdate=19 January 2017|first=Kevin|last=Hind|work=Afro Online}} She was reinstated three days later.{{cite web|url=http://kibaaro.com/teneng-mba-jaiteh-reinstated-as-the-presidents-reckless-firing-back-fired/|title=Teneng Mba Jaiteh reinstated, as the president's reckless firing back fired|date=21 February 2014|accessdate=19 January 2017|publisher=Kibaaro Radio}}

In January 2015, Jaiteh was appointed as Gambia's ambassador to the European Union,{{cite web|url=https://www.government.nl/topics/embassies-consulates-and-other-representations/contents/country/g/gambia/embassy-of-the-islamic-republic-of-the-gambia-brussel|title=Embassy of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia (Brussel)|publisher=Government of the Netherlands}}{{cite web|url=http://berlinglobal.org/index.php?bundespraesident-gauck-accredits-new-ambassadors|title=Bundespräsident Gauck Accredits New Ambassadors|date=13 April 2015|accessdate=19 January 2017|work=Berlin Global}} also covering (Germany), Poland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Slovakia and the Czech Republic as well as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons,{{cite web|url=https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/gambia/|title=Gambia, the|accessdate=11 August 2019|publisher=Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons}} African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, the International Criminal Court and the World Trade Organization. Her post is located in Brussels.

After the December 2016 election, Jaiteh was one of a dozen Gambian diplomats who backed President-elect Adama Barrow as the legitimate president and called on Jammeh to step down,{{cite web|url=https://gambia.smbcgo.com/2016/12/20/gambian-diplomats-abandon-jammeh/|title=Gambian diplomats abandon Jammeh|first=Sam|last=Phatey|date=20 December 2016|accessdate=19 January 2017|work=SMBC News}}{{cite web|url=https://gambia.smbcgo.com/2016/12/21/eu-looking-immediately-start-work-barrow/|title=EU looking to immediately start work with Barrow|date=21 December 2016|accessdate=19 January 2017|first=Sam|last=Phatey|work=SMBC News}}{{cite web|url=https://fatunetwork.net/11-serving-gambian-ambassadors-tell-jammeh-hand-power-congratulate-barrow/|work=The Fatu Network|title=11 serving Gambian ambassadors tell Jammeh to hand over power, congratulate Barrow|first=Alhagie|last=Jobe|date=20 December 2016|accessdate=19 January 2017}} sending a joint congratulatory letter to Barrow.{{cite web|url=http://gainako.com/gambian-diplomats-break-ranks-yahya-jammeh-congratulate-president-elect-barrow/|title=Gambian Diplomats Break Ranks with Yahya Jammeh; Congratulate President-Elect Barrow|work=Gainako|date=20 December 2016|accessdate=19 January 2017}} In response, Jammeh's new Information Minister, Seedy Njie said in January 2017 that the twelve ambassadors had been fired.{{cite web|url=https://gambia.smbcgo.com/2017/01/10/gambias-president-jammeh-fires-nine-more-ambassadors/|title=Gambia's President Jammeh fires nine more ambassadors|first=Sam|last=Phatey|date=10 January 2017|accessdate=19 January 2017|work=SMBC News}}