Sylvain Itté, born on 20 March 1959, is a French diplomat presently serving as the French ambassador to Niger.
Itté was born in Mali and spent his childhood in various African nations until the age of six. Subsequently, he resided in multiple European countries before settling in France. He attained a master's degree in public law from the Institut régional d'administrative de Lille.
In 1985, Itté served in the French armed forces and was stationed in Berlin. Following this, he held a position at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris as an office manager, commencing in 1988. His career then progressed through various roles, including serving as a technical adviser in the cabinet of the defense ministry and deputy consul general in São Paulo, Brazil. He also headed departments and held positions in different countries, such as Madrid, Spain, and Cameroon. Notably, from 2006 to 2009, Itté was the director general of the French department Coopération Internationale. Subsequently, he was appointed as the French ambassador to Uruguay from September 2013 to July 2016 and later as the French ambassador to Angola from September 2016 to October 2020. Itté assumed his current role as ambassador to Niger in October 2022.
In the midst of his role as ambassador to Niger, a coup occurred in the country, with the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland assuming control of the government. On 25 August 2023, during the ensuing international crisis, the National Council ordered Itté to leave Niger within 48 hours. However, French President Emmanuel Macron announced his decision to retain Itté in his position despite the ultimatum. Diplomatic immunity and visas for Itté and his family were revoked on 31 August, and Nigerien authorities were instructed to remove him from the country, though this action did not take place. On 15 September, Macron accused the Nigerien junta of effectively holding Itté and his staff hostage by blocking food deliveries to the embassy, forcing Itté to subsist on military rations.

Sylvain Itté - Wikipedia