Alpha Oumar Konaré
Encyclopedia
Alpha Oumar Konaré was the President of Mali
for two five-year terms (1992 to 2002), and was Chairperson of the African Union Commission from 2003 to 2008.
homemaker
was born in Kayes
, Mali, where he went to primary school. He went on to attend Bamako
's Lycée Terrasson des Fougères, the Collège de Maristes of Dakar
, Senegal, the Collège Moderne of Kayes and, between 1962 and 1964, the École Normale Secondaire of Katibougou. He completed his advanced studies in history at the École Normale Supérieure
in Bamako (1965–1969) and at the University of Warsaw
between 1971 and 1975.
He began his professional career as a tutor in Kayes, then a lycée teacher at Markala
and Bamako
. In 1974, he did research at the Institut des Sciences Humaines du Mali, then, from 1975 to 1978, acted as head of historic patrimony and ethnography at the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture. In 1980, he was named researcher at the Institut Supérieur de Formation en Recherche Appliquée (I.S.F.R.A), and Professor at the History/Geography department at the École Normale Supérieure of Bamako. In the course of his career, he headed several professional organizations, including the Association of Historians and Geographers of Mali, the West African Association of Archaeologists, and the Union of West African Researchers. Between 1981 and 1992, Konaré served as a consultant for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP). Between 1989 and 1992 he was president of ICOM (International Council of Museums; http://icom.museum/founders.html#presidents ).
) of the École Normale Supérieure of Bamako.
Following the coup d'état of General Moussa Traoré
, he became an activist for the Marxist-Leninist
, clandestine Malian Party for Work (Parti malien du travail, or PMT).
In 1978, however, he accepted a post in Moussa Traoré's government as Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture. Though he resigned in 1980, his term was marked by the formation of many Malian sports organizations. He went on to found and direct the cultural review "Jamana" in 1983, as well as the cultural cooperative of the same name. In 1989 he also founded the daily newspaper "Les échos," and in 1991 began "Radio Bamakan," Mali's first free radio station.
In 1990, he participated in the creation of the umbrella movement Alliance for Democracy in Mali (Alliance pour la démocratie au Mali, or ADEMA), which united the PMT with a number of other anti-Traoré groups. With the 1991 fall of Moussa Traoré, Konaré helped transform ADEMA into ADEMA/PASJ, an official political party, and served as its delegate to the 1991 National Conference of Mali.
By the end of the democratic transition instituted by Amadou Toumani Touré
, he was elected as President of the Republic in 1992, receiving 69.01% of the vote in the second round against US-RDA candidate Tiéoulé Mamadou Konaté. He was re-elected for a second term in the 1997 presidential election
despite a boycott of the ballot in protest of his annulation of legislative elections, and he was sworn in on 8 June 1997.
His terms are noted for the restoration of democracy in spite of the 1997 difficulties, his management of the Tuareg Rebellion
in the north, and his decentralization of the government. However, corruption remained a significant problem under Konaré's administration.
Konaré publicly rendered homage to Mali's first president, Modibo Keïta
, and created a memorial to him in Bamako. Opposed to the death penalty, he commuted the death sentences of Moussa Traoré and his wife to life in prison in 2002. He is also remembered as the man who brought the continent's most prestigious football tournament, the African Cup of Nations
, to Mali in 2002.
On the international stage, Konaré worked for peace and integration in the West African region. He served as president of Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) in 1999, and of the West African Monetary Union (UEMOA) in 2000.
Term limited to two presidential terms by the constitution, Konaré left office in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani Touré. On 10 July 2003, he was elected as Chairman of the Commission of the African Union
(AU) at a summit in Maputo
. He was the only candidate; Amara Essy
, who held the post in an interim capacity, withdrew his candidacy prior to the vote. 35 countries voted in Konaré's favor; there were six votes against him, while four countries abstained.
Konaré raised the ire of civil society in Zimbabwe
when, during a visit to Harare
on 14 October 2006, in his capacity as Chairperson of the AU Commission, he declined invitations to meet with representatives of non-governmental organizations to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe.
On 25 January 2007, Konaré said that he did not intend to seek another term as Chairman of the AU Commission. On 1 February 2008, Jean Ping
of Gabon
was elected to succeed him; Ping officially succeeded Konaré as Chairperson of the Commission on 28 April 2008.
Konaré is a member of the Club of Madrid
.
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
for two five-year terms (1992 to 2002), and was Chairperson of the African Union Commission from 2003 to 2008.
Scholarly career
Alpha Oumar Konaré fourth son of a Bambara teacher and a FulaFula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
homemaker
Homemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
was born in Kayes
Kayes
Kayes is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River, with a population of roughly 100,000 people. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes" comes from the Soninké word "karré", which describes a low humid place that floods in rainy season...
, Mali, where he went to primary school. He went on to attend Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
's Lycée Terrasson des Fougères, the Collège de Maristes of Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Senegal, the Collège Moderne of Kayes and, between 1962 and 1964, the École Normale Secondaire of Katibougou. He completed his advanced studies in history at the École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
in Bamako (1965–1969) and at the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
between 1971 and 1975.
He began his professional career as a tutor in Kayes, then a lycée teacher at Markala
Markala
Markala is a city in Mali's Ségou Region on the Niger River, 35 km downriver from the city of Ségou. Markala is the site of Mali's primary irrigation dam....
and Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
. In 1974, he did research at the Institut des Sciences Humaines du Mali, then, from 1975 to 1978, acted as head of historic patrimony and ethnography at the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture. In 1980, he was named researcher at the Institut Supérieur de Formation en Recherche Appliquée (I.S.F.R.A), and Professor at the History/Geography department at the École Normale Supérieure of Bamako. In the course of his career, he headed several professional organizations, including the Association of Historians and Geographers of Mali, the West African Association of Archaeologists, and the Union of West African Researchers. Between 1981 and 1992, Konaré served as a consultant for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
(UNDP). Between 1989 and 1992 he was president of ICOM (International Council of Museums; http://icom.museum/founders.html#presidents ).
Political activism
Konaré was involved in politics as early as the age of twenty, when he was elected the 1967 Secretary General of the Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally (US-RDA, the party of President Modibo KeïtaModibo Keïta
Modibo Keita ; was the first President of Mali and the Prime Minister of the Mali Federation. He espoused a form of African socialism.-Youth:...
) of the École Normale Supérieure of Bamako.
Following the coup d'état of General Moussa Traoré
Moussa Traoré
General Moussa Traoré is a Malian soldier and politician. As a Lieutenant, he led the military ouster of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he served as Head of State from 1968-1979, and President of Mali from 1979 to 1991, when he was overthrown by popular protests and military coup...
, he became an activist for the Marxist-Leninist
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
, clandestine Malian Party for Work (Parti malien du travail, or PMT).
In 1978, however, he accepted a post in Moussa Traoré's government as Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture. Though he resigned in 1980, his term was marked by the formation of many Malian sports organizations. He went on to found and direct the cultural review "Jamana" in 1983, as well as the cultural cooperative of the same name. In 1989 he also founded the daily newspaper "Les échos," and in 1991 began "Radio Bamakan," Mali's first free radio station.
ADEMA and presidency
By the end of the democratic transition instituted by Amadou Toumani Touré
Amadou Toumani Touré
Amadou Toumani Touré is the president of Mali. He overthrew a military ruler, Moussa Traoré in 1991, then handed power to civilian authorities the next year...
, he was elected as President of the Republic in 1992, receiving 69.01% of the vote in the second round against US-RDA candidate Tiéoulé Mamadou Konaté. He was re-elected for a second term in the 1997 presidential election
Malian presidential election, 1997
Presidential elections were held in Mali on 11 May 1997. They were boycotted by the main opposition parties, and as a result featured only two candidates; incumbent president Alpha Oumar Konaré of the Alliance for Democracy in Mali and Mamadou dit Maribatrou Diaby of the Party for Unity, Democracy...
despite a boycott of the ballot in protest of his annulation of legislative elections, and he was sworn in on 8 June 1997.
His terms are noted for the restoration of democracy in spite of the 1997 difficulties, his management of the Tuareg Rebellion
Tuareg Rebellion
The Tuareg Rebellion was an uprising by various Tuareg groups in Niger and Mali with the aim of achieving autonomy or forming their own nation-state. The insurgency occurred in a period following the regional famine of the 1980s and subsequent refugee crisis, and a time of generalised political...
in the north, and his decentralization of the government. However, corruption remained a significant problem under Konaré's administration.
Konaré publicly rendered homage to Mali's first president, Modibo Keïta
Modibo Keïta
Modibo Keita ; was the first President of Mali and the Prime Minister of the Mali Federation. He espoused a form of African socialism.-Youth:...
, and created a memorial to him in Bamako. Opposed to the death penalty, he commuted the death sentences of Moussa Traoré and his wife to life in prison in 2002. He is also remembered as the man who brought the continent's most prestigious football tournament, the African Cup of Nations
African Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations, also referred to as the African Cup of Nations or African Nations Cup, officially CAN , is the main international association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football , and was first held in 1957. Since 1968, it has been...
, to Mali in 2002.
On the international stage, Konaré worked for peace and integration in the West African region. He served as president of Economic Community of West African States
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
(ECOWAS) in 1999, and of the West African Monetary Union (UEMOA) in 2000.
Term limited to two presidential terms by the constitution, Konaré left office in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani Touré. On 10 July 2003, he was elected as Chairman of the Commission of the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
(AU) at a summit in Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
. He was the only candidate; Amara Essy
Amara Essy
Amara Essy is a diplomat from Côte d'Ivoire .Essy was born in Bouake. He was the Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations from 1981 to 1990, and in January 1990 he was President of the United Nations Security Council...
, who held the post in an interim capacity, withdrew his candidacy prior to the vote. 35 countries voted in Konaré's favor; there were six votes against him, while four countries abstained.
Konaré raised the ire of civil society in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
when, during a visit to Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
on 14 October 2006, in his capacity as Chairperson of the AU Commission, he declined invitations to meet with representatives of non-governmental organizations to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe.
On 25 January 2007, Konaré said that he did not intend to seek another term as Chairman of the AU Commission. On 1 February 2008, Jean Ping
Jean Ping
Jean Ping is a Gabonese diplomat and politician who is currently the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union...
of Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
was elected to succeed him; Ping officially succeeded Konaré as Chairperson of the Commission on 28 April 2008.
Konaré is a member of the Club of Madrid
Club of Madrid
The Club de Madrid is an independent non-profit organization created to promote democracy and change in the international community. Composed of 80 former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 56 countries, the Club de Madrid is the world’s largest forum of former Heads of State and Government.Among...
.