Fofana named as Guineas new PM

CONAKRY (Reuters) - Guineas new president Alpha Conde appointed former commerce ministry official Mohamed Said Fofana as prime minister, according to an announcement on state television on Friday. Conde won an election on November 7 billed as the countrys first free poll since independence from France in 1958, completing a transition from nearly two years of military leadership. Mohamed Said Fofana, formerly the director of economic research, is appointed prime minister, according to the presidential decree. A source close to Conde said the new premier was well connected internationally. It is not someone who is well known to the public, but he has good relationships abroad from his work in the commerce ministry, said the source, who declined to be named. Conde has already named Mohamed Diane, a member of Condes RPG party, as cabinet director and Francois Louceny, one of his rival candidates in the first round of voting in June, as secretary general of the presidency and minister of state. Guinea is the worlds largest supplier of aluminum ore bauxite and players in the mining industry are eager to know Condes choice for energy and mines minister. Observers are also watching to see if Conde follows through on a promise to include members of his chief rival Cellou Dalein Diallos camp in a national unity government to ease ethnic tensions that resurfaced during the campaign.