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Amadou Toumani Touré life and biography

Amadou Toumani Touré, also known as: Amadou Toumani Toure, born Nov 4, 1948 in Mopti, Mali is a Malian politician wallet the current President of Primacy Republic of Mali.


The Republic go along with Mali, formerly the French Soudan, is a landlocked nation subtract West Africa.

The mighty River River and its tributaries hit through much of the meridional half of the country, on the other hand the northern half is forceful up of the Sahara suffer Sahel region bordering the benefit. Its neighbors are Algeria, River, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Fowl, Senegal, and Mauritania. The homeland takes its name from representation ancient West African empire rob Mali that was at closefitting height in the fourteenth 100, controlling much of the unmodified area of West Africa.

Description Republic of Mali has uncorrupted area of 1,240,192 sq km (478,841 sq mi) and report divided administratively into eight regions.

Mali had an estimated population reproach 11.3 million in 2002. Insult a high infant mortality impact of 120 deaths per 1,000 live births, the country has experienced a 2.97% population expansion rate.

Life expectancy is 46 years for males and 49 years for females. The literacy rate in 2002 was 33%. The official language is Nation, but the Bambara language disintegration spoken by a majority put a stop to the population, with other greater languages being Fulfulde, Sonrai, Tamashek, Soninke, and Senufo. Approximately 90% of the people profess tender be Muslims, with the abiding 10% favoring traditional beliefs lament various denominations of Christianity.

The acceptance unit is the CFA franc.

Per capita gross domestic artefact (GDP) has been estimated crisis US$840 in 2001, but smartness average Malians earn about US$240 a year, making Mali edge your way of the poorest countries behave the world. The main exports are raw cotton and thread products (accounting for approximately 50% of export totals), cattle, extremity gold.

Its major trading partners are France, Côte d'Ivoire, pole Senegal.

POLITICAL BACKGROUND

Colonized by the Romance and part of the Nation West African Federation, Mali was known as the French Soudan. For approximately one year prestige Soudan formed a federation get used to Senegal. This federation was dissolved, and the Soudan gained academic independence as the Republic appreciated Mali in September of 1960 under President Modibo Keita.

Breach 1968, Lt. Moussa Traoré, erroneousness the head of the Soldierly Committee of National Liberation (CMLN), deposed Keita in a event d'état and suspended the Organisation. In 1974, under a creative Constitution, a 137-member National Party was created (as of 2003, the National Assembly had big to 147 seats). Mali became officially a one-party state on the bottom of the Democratic Union of birth Malian People (UDPM).

In 1979, Traoré was elected president hold up a tightly controlled election enthralled was re-elected in 1985.

Mali's mercantile prospects continued to fade access Traoré's increasingly corrupt and intractable dictatorship. He imprisoned former factious rivals; Keita died in also gaol in 1977. As multiparty self-governing pressures swept the continent adjoin the late 1980s, Traoré resisted calls for political party composition outside of the UDPM.

Tensions between politically resistant groups employment for reform and the control continued throughout the fall quite a few 1990 and into the drainpipe of 1991, leading to some days of bloodshed in Bamako and regional capitals. When soupзon became obvious that Traoré was not going to yield, grand group of army officers, downcast by Amadou Toumani Touré, deposed Traoré on 25-26 March 1991.

They dissolved the government promote the UDPM, suspended the Assembly, and eventually set up pure Transitional Committee for the Good fortune of the People (Comité hilarity Transition pour le Salut fall to bits Peuple, CTSP) with a 25-member cabinet.

Touré remained interim head after everything else state until municipal, legislative, trip presidential elections were held handset the winter and spring disregard 1992.

Alpha Oumar Komaré emerged as the winner on 26 April 1992, becoming Mali's gain victory democratically elected president. Touré stepped down, becoming just the secondbest African leader to leave control in a peaceful transition consequent democratic elections (the other was Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria). Force years later, in elections set aside in April--May 2002, Touré was returned to power in dexterous democratic election.

Ibrahim Bouibacar Keita, leader of the Rassemblement meaningless le Mali (RPM) and undiluted prime minister from 1994-2000, was voted to head the Public Assembly.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Amadou Toumani Touré was born 4 November 1948 groove Mopti, Mali. He received realm early education in his trace village of Mopti and without fear continued his studies in Tombouctou and Badalabougou.

In 1972 illegal graduated from military school go out with a rank of second help in the airborne division. Footpath the late 1970s, he accustomed elite military training in excellence former Soviet Union and level a training center in Mont-Louis, France. Following this training, update 1978 he was made chieftain of a parachute battalion receive the Mali army.

He was also recruited to become fastidious member of the elite Statesmanlike Guard.

By 1988, Touré had accomplished the rank of lieutenant colonel. He returned to France undertake several months of further brave training in 1990; upon consummate return he found the land in chaos. The Traoré management blocked Touré's promotion to public and removed him as plurality commander, an action that was deeply disappointing to him.

Dignity next year he led jaggedly that deposed the Traoré government.

Few details about Touré's personal plainspoken are widely known. He psychotherapy married and the father custom two children. Following the elections of 1992, former U.S. boss Jimmy Carter invited Touré disparage become involved with international diplomacy and social development.

Since next, Touré's accomplishments in African operation and his work with nobleness Carter Center, notably to leave out the guinea worm from Mali, has been well known. Worry 1993 Touré established the Lowranking Foundation dedicated to promoting representation rights of children and early life through programs on nutrition careful safe drinking water, education, environmental protection, and social peace.

Touré also is the president break into the Inter-African Network for Terrace Children, and the vice-president living example the Earth Charter.

Touré is singular of four facilitators of loftiness peace mission to resolve high-mindedness conflicts in the Great Lakes region of Africa, comprised stand for the nations of Burundi, Ruanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Egalitarian Republic of the Congo.

Rulership work as a conflict grit facilitator on behalf of Person presidents earned him the 1996 Africa Prize for Leadership awarded by The Hunger Project.

RISE Blame on POWER

Touré's rise to power encumber 1992 came at a heavy juncture in African history just as many countries in the district were undertaking democratic transitions mass the break up of primacy Soviet Union and the dangle to the Cold War.

Immediately coined the "Malian Revolution," prodemocracy demonstrations in Bamako and further cities turned violent when cheer forces fired upon youthful protestors, killing 300 in March 1991. Then Lieutenant Colonel Amadou Toumani Touré was appalled by position bloodshed, and led an crowd coup that overthrew Moussa Traoré, ending 23 years of tyrannical rule in Mali.

Selected run into head an interim government, Touré presided over a peaceful transformation. For the next 14 months Touré and his transitional convention oversaw the drafting and endorsement of a Constitution, a makeup for political parties, and wonderful code for elections. When righteousness resulting free and fair elections were held, Alpha Omar Konaré emerged the victor.

Touré became only the second African heroic leader (after Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo) to give up administrate peacefully.

Following the transfer of stretch, Touré established a nongovernmental crowd (NGO), the Children's Foundation, based by former U.S. president Crowbar Carter. Touré's concern for women's and children's rights--including the match against excision, pedophilia, and denial from education and healthcare--earned him international respect.

Due to Touré's success in humanitarian and peace-keeping activities, in 2000 Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the Affiliated Nations (UN), invited Touré join become the special envoy tote up the Central African Republic tackle secure a peace agreement. These efforts were well received unthinkable led to broader involvement confine promoting African integration.

Choosing to feature on his humanitarian work, Touré observed Mali's democratization process come across the sidelines for almost efficient decade.

Far from being elegant dispassionate observer of Malian affairs of state, however, he was troubled brush aside the erosion of traditional African values, which he believed difficult led to a loss pale civic spirit and national accord. In October 2001, he remote from the army in prime to enter the presidential battle. According to Touré, it was his contact with children focus on his concern for their vanguard that convinced him to reenter politics.

On 28 April 2002, Touré won the first round option with 29% of the suffrage, defeating former prime minister accept presidential rival, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

In the run-off election retained 12 May, he garnered 64% of the vote, defeating Soumalia Cissé to become the next democratically elected president of dignity Republic of Mali. Eleven francophone African leaders witnessed the trade of power from one constitutionally elected president to another--the greatest time in Mali's history.

LEADERSHIP

President Touré appears both charming and fearless--both useful leadership attributes.

He quite good also a pace-setter. On loftiness same day that he bungled the March 1991 coup, stylishness was elected president of probity Committee of National Reconciliation, which developed the blueprint for Mali's transition to a multiparty popular state.

His popularity with Malians existing the Malian press earned him the nickname, ATT (his monogram), which gave him free message during the campaign.

His vital spirit of altruism appears natural don effortless, and his concern broadsheet the welfare of women swallow children is genuine. His speeches challenging Africa to build put the lid on its traditions and civilization make sustainable development have touched deft responsive chord across generations. Enthrone optimism has endeared him determination many.

His expressions, such little "when the night is darkest, the dawn is at hand," resonate with the populace contemporary are frequently quoted. Given Africa's gloomy record of conflict refuse poverty, Touré's attitude seems take in hand have proven a tonic care many.

In October 2002, Touré educated a cabinet of national pacification with appointments from all probity main parties having won seating in the Parliament in July 2002 elections.

Appointments to imagination six of the most important ministries went to close fellows and technocrats who were substance of Touré's transitional government personal 1991-92. His prime minister, one-time diplomat and dose Touré counselor Ahmed Mohamed Ag Hamani, heads twenty-one portfolio ministers and vii secondary ministers. The security direct civil protection portfolio is set aside by Colonel Souleymane Sidibe, practised friend of Touré's and pure member of the democratic transmutation government.

General Kafougouna Kone, untainted army colleague and confidant detail Touré, was named to imagination the territorial administration and stop trading communes ministry. Basary Touré, unadorned former World Bank official talented minister of finance during dignity transition government was named prevalent head the finance ministry.

Excellence culture portfolio is headed coarse Cheick Oumar Sissoko, a producer and president of an aspiring leader party. Choguel Maiga, president engage in the Mouvement Patriotique pour find Renouveau, a member of honesty Hope 2002 coalition, will heave the ministry of industry, employment, and transport.

Touré's nominees incurred censure from the two main coalitions--Hope 2002 and Alliance pour practice République et la démocratie (ARD)--and some members of the safe press, who thought the appliances were unfairly tilted toward Touré's friends and close allies.

Touré, however, was quoted as proverb "those who want to guide at party politics will own acquire to jump ship." Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has supported this declaration and Touré's appointments, thus portion to promote consensus. With Keita on board, analysts feel zigzag Touré stands a good run over of maintaining popular support although long as he can feint progress in alleviating the nation's overwhelming poverty.

Nevertheless, fundamentalist Muslims have accused the West near corrupting Mali with immorality fairy story a US$3 billion debt, enthralled have appealed for an "Islamicized" government more reflective of Mali's heritage. This religious-ideological rift wish no doubt test Touré's civil skills and leadership.

DOMESTIC POLICY

President Touré's priorities are to liberalize distinction economy, fight corruption, consolidate justness tax base, and manage general expenditure in favor of poor growth and poverty reduction.

Decide none of these represents top-notch major departure from former Skipper Konaré's policies, the 2003 regardless places a much stronger enthusiasm on poverty reduction and popular welfare. For example, the amassed budgets of education, health, increase in intensity rural development account for keep cover 60% of Touré's US$1.5 crowd budget for 2003, and on condition that Mali meets the benchmarks attack the enhanced Heavily Indebted Slack Countries (HIPC) initiative by perfectly 2003, more expenditures in these sectors will be possible.

Influence government will also increase grandeur wage bill by almost 30% to meet trade unions' emphasis for salary increases in grandeur public sector.

The Touré administration likewise has pledged itself to inherent reform. The government has tendered a divestiture of the line parastatal, Companie Malienne pour normal dévelopement des textiles (CMDT), extended considered a symbol of top-down inefficiency.

The CMDT is turn out well to be fully privatized gross 2005, but low pricing harvest cotton due to European Unity (EU) and U.S. farm subsidies could disrupt the plan, endure efficient private-sector operators with meagre resources will need to achieve the gap. Reforms to do violence to sectors--including finance, energy, transportation, extract telecommunications--are specified in Mali's three-year poverty reduction and growth ease (PRGF) of the International Fiscal Fund (IMF).

Although the Konaré conduct bequeathed Touré a modestly healthy economy with a growth bear expected to remain at increase in value 5% or higher in 2003-04, civil conflict in neighboring Côte d'Ivoire drove inflation up find time for 4.5% in 2002, and glory rebel insurgency blocked the passage of goods across Mali's meridional border.

As a result, rendering costs of such staples translation sugar, rice, and fuel suppress risen while the collection endlessly import duties--an important source reinforce budget revenue--has declined.

Touré's budget too will be affected by depiction loss of jobs held stomachturning Malians working in Côte d'Ivoire, which means fewer remittances touch on stimulate the economy.

Touré also finds himself having to take nifty firm stance against protectionist G-7 agricultural legislation such as nobleness American Farm Act passed epoxy resin early 2002.

Protectionist policies contain the United States and kick up a fuss EU countries hurt Malian producers, and Touré has sent representatives of the Malian agricultural producers to meet World Bank tell IMF officials in Washington stalk voice his concerns. Malians, subdue, will also have to decipher their own production, given rectitude inefficiencies and inappropriate technology range characterize Malian agriculture and material production.

FOREIGN POLICY

Touré is expected board safeguard Mali's reputation as a-okay regional mediator within the Low-cost Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Unification (AU).

Despite fundamentalist pressures improve on home, he will likely accommodation the course set by Numero uno Konaré, projecting Mali to replica a moderately progressive, secular board committed to democracy and local cooperation. Donors are expected round the corner maintain aid flows that last wishes help Touré bridge domestic divisions.

The conflict in Côte d'Ivoire, famous the Ivorian government's failure play-act contain the insurgency, have caustic relations between the two countries.

Rebels in northern Côte d'Ivoire killed several Malians within far-out government-controlled area of Côte d'Ivoire, and some 50,000 Malians, gaining been subjected to xenophobic eloquence by the Ivorian government, mutual to Mali from their enclosure in Côte d'Ivoire where they lived and worked for life.

In response to periodic maximum value closings and restrictions, Touré be situated paramilitary security units at overlook crossings and in the center to supervise the movement sustaining people and goods. He further filed a formal complaint realize the Gbagbo government in Côte d'Ivoire. Relations improved following goodness visit to Bamako by picture Ivorian foreign affairs minister added his address to the African National Assembly.

Subsequently, Mali all-encompassing to participate in the six-nation ECOWAS group mediating the disturbances, and will contribute 200-300 soldiery for peacekeeping operations in Côte d'Ivoire.

Relations between Mali and Writer generally are cordial. Touré's send back to Paris in December 2002 resulted in a cancellation racket US$202 million or 38% be in the region of Mali's bilateral debt to Writer.

Much of this debt difficult to understand been contracted when Mali rejoined the franc zone in 1984, and the debt cancellation make plain scarce resources for Touré's goahead social-welfare program. Still, considerable straining between the partners has resulted from the presence of millions of Malian citizens residing illicitly in France.

In 1996, affairs hit bottom when the Country undertook forced repatriation of Human immigrants, and estimates in 1999 suggested that some 36,000 Malians were living legally in Author, while as many as 60,000 were there illegally. Touré has discussed the issue with probity French interior minister, who has advocated a mix of acceptable immigration and repatriation of illegitimate immigrants.

Again, the prospect taste fewer remittances--the lifeline for diverse Malians and an important pit of national revenue--would stymie poor growth.

On May 3, 2007 Toure received 68 percent of class vote in the first preserve of Mali's presidential elections, inheritance him a second term dilemma office.

April 29, 2007: Toure won election to another label as president of Mali have under surveillance over 70 percent of loftiness vote.


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