André Salifou

André Salifou (born 1942 [http://www.ird.ne/partenariat/plp/salifoucontenu.html Page on Salifou's book "L'empereur des menteurs et autres contes du pays haoussa"] fr icon.] ) is a Nigerien politician, diplomat, and professor. He was President of the High Council of the Republic during the 1991–93 transitional period, Foreign Minister in 1996, and an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 1999.

Biography

Salifou was born in Zinder. From 1972 to 1979, he worked for the Agency of Cultural and Technical Cooperation ("Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique"), UNESCO, and the Common African and Mauritian Organization. He then became a Professor of History at the University of Niamey until 1991.Back cover biographical summary of Salifou, from his book "La question touarègue au Niger" (1993), Karthala Editions.] For his "doctorate d'état" he wrote the thesis "Colonisation et sociétés indigènes au Niger de la fin du XIXe siècle à la début de la Seconde Guerre mondiale" ("Colonization and indigenous societies of Niger from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the Second World War").

Political career

President of the Presidium of the National Conference

At the end of the 1980s the military regieme of Brigadier General Ali Saibou came under increasing domestic pressure and civil resistance. At the end of 1990 the regieme acquiesced to demands for a return to civilan rule and a national conference was convened in July 1991 to prepare the way for the adoption of a new constitution and the holding of free and fair elections. Professor Salifou was chosen as a neutral figure to be President of the Presidium of the National Conference,Jibrin Ibrahim and Abdoulayi Niandou Souley, [http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=11625 "The rise to power of an opposition party: the MNSD in Niger Republic"] , Unisa Press, Politeia, Vol. 15, No. 3, 1996.] which was held from July 29 1991 to November 3 1991 and established a transitional government leading to democratic elections. At the Conference he was elected President of the High Council of the Republic, which was created to function in a legislative role during the transitional period, which lasted from November 1991 to April 1993. In late February 1992 he was briefly kidnapped, along with the Interior Minister, Mohamed Moussa, by soldiers demanding back pay; he and Moussa were freed after the soldiers were promised that they would receive the pay. ["NIGER'S MUTINEERS LIST THEIR DEMANDS", Associated Press, "San Jose Mercury News", February 29, 1992, page 3F.]

Opposition politician

In the February 1993 parliamentary election, Salifou was a candidate for his party, the Union of Democratic and Progressive Patriots (UPDP-Chamoua), in Zinder constituency, [ [http://droit.francophonie.org/df-web/publication.do?publicationId=1024 "Afrique de l'Ouest - Niger - Cour suprême - 1993 - Arrêt no 93-3/cc du 1er février 1993"] , droit.francophonie.org fr icon.] and was elected to the National Assembly. [ [http://droit.francophonie.org/df-web/publication.do?publicationId=548 "Afrique de l'Ouest - Niger - Cour suprême - 1993 - Arrêt no 93-10/cc du 18 mars 1993"] , droit.francophonie.org fr icon.] Following the election, the UPDP, which was led by Salifou, formed part of the opposition along with the National Movement for the Development of Society (MNSD). Salifou participated in an opposition protest on April 16 1994 and was arrested along with 90 others, including MNSD leader Tandja Mamadou.

Under military rule

After Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara seized power in a military coup on January 27 1996, Salifou was named Minister of State in charge of Higher Education and Research in the new transitional government named on February 1. Three months later, on May 5, Salifou was named Minister of State in charge of Foreign Relations. [http://www.presidence.ne/PagesHtm/GouvBarre.htm "GOUVERNEMENTS DU PRESIDENT IBRAHIM MAINASSARA BARRE"] , official web site of the Nigerien presidency fr icon.] He left this position in December 1996, becoming instead Minister of State in charge of Relations with the Assemblies,"Africa South of the Sahara 2004" (2003), Routledge, page 795.] in which position he remained until December 1997.

Return to democracy

Salifou was the UPDP candidate in the October 1999 presidential election, taking sixth place with 2.08% of the vote. [http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/RAPPORT_DE_LA_MISSION_D_OBSERVATION_DES_ELECTIONS_PRESIDENTIELLES_ET_LEGISLATIVES_DES_17_OCTOBRE_ET_24_NOVEMBRE_1999_.pdf "RAPPORT DE LA MISSION D’OBSERVATION DES ELECTIONS PRESIDENTIELLES ET LEGISLATIVES DES 17 OCTOBRE ET 24 NOVEMBRE 1999"] , democratie.francophonie.org fr icon.] Afterwards he acted in a diplomatic role for international organizations; he was special envoy of La Francophonie to the Comoros, and on April 30 2002 he was named special envoy of Amara Essy, secretary-general of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), to Madagascar. [ [http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/AUSTRALE/madagascar/madagascarpol/249quinzejours.htm "Ces quinze jours au cours desquels les chances d’aboutir à un règlement pacifique de la crise se sont évaporées"] , "Afrique Express", N° 249, May 6, 2002 fr icon.] On February 13 2003, he was named special representative of Essy, who was by this time the interim Chairman of the Commission of the African Union, to Côte d'Ivoire. [ [http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/OUEST/cotedivoire/cotedivoirepol/264andresalifou.htm "Nominations: André Salifou, nommé représentant spécial d’ Amara Essy et Lansana Kouyaté, nommé représentant spécial de l’OIF pour la Côte d’Ivoire"] , "Afrique Express", N° 264, February 17, 2003 fr icon.]

References