Ousmane Issoufou Oubandawaki
Encyclopedia
Ousmane Issoufou Oubandawaki (born 5 September 1948) is a Niger
ien politician. An engineer by profession, specializing in civil aviation, Oubandawaki held various posts at ASECNA
and served in the government of Niger under President Ibrahim Baré Mainassara, first as Minister of National Defense from 1996 to 1997 and then as Minister of Transport from 1997 to 1998. He was Director-General of ASECNA from January 1999 to December 2004.
After founding a political party, the Rally of Nigerien Patriots (Rassemblement des patriotes nigériens, RPN-Alkalami), Oubandawaki was elected to the National Assembly of Niger
in 2009 and became President of the Independent Parliamentary Group.
in Niger, Oubandawaki studied to become an engineer, graduating from the National School of Civil Aviation in Toulouse
in 1973. He also studied air transport economy in Canada
at the University of Montreal.
Oubandawaki was ASECNA's Representative in Mauritania
and Senegal
from 1975 to 1976, and he was Commander of Niamey
Airport from 1976 to 1979. Subsequently he was ASECNA's Representative in Niger from 1979 to 1980, Director-General of Air Niger
—the national airline—from 1980 to 1983, and Niger's Director of Civil Aviation from 1983 to 1985.
Oubandawaki became Secretary-General of ASECNA in 1985 and remained in that post for 11 years. President Ibrahim Baré Mainassara then appointed him to the Nigerien government as Minister of National Defense on 23 August 1996. He took office on 29 August.
After soldiers at the Agadez
garrison took officials hostage on 2 June 1997, Oubandawaki promptly led a delegation to Agadez; he successfully negotiated the release of the officials and restored government authority on 3 June. In July 1997, he denied reports of a Nigerien–Chad
ian attack on the Democratic Revival Front (FDR) rebel group at Bosso
. Regarding conflicts with rebels, Oubandawaki said during a visit to Mali
in early August 1997 that "the situation is calm" and that the government was trying to achieve peace with the FDR, the only rebel group that had not signed a 1995 peace accord by that point.
Later in 1997, some rebels withdrew from the accord, complaining that the process was too slow; Oubandawaki criticized them for making "demands which are not realistic in view of our country's constraints." He then announced on 8 November 1997 that 27 Tuareg rebels had been killed in a "clean-up operation" directed against "dissident fronts opposed to peace".
Oubandawaki was included on the Political Bureau of the Rally for Democracy and Progress
(RDP-Jama'a), which was established as the ruling party under Mainassara in 1997. In the government, he was moved to the post of Minister of Transport on 1 December 1997; while serving as Minister of Transport, he was also President of the Board of Air Afrique
. After a year as Minister of Transport, he was appointed as Director-General of ASECNA on 13 December 1998, and Senegal
ese Transport Minister Tijane Sylla was appointed to succeed him at Air Afrique on 30 January 1999.
After ASECNA was awarded the 2001 Oscar Excellence Award for African Managers, Oubandawaki accepted the prize in Paris
on 6 July 2002, saying that it "honours us and encourages us to move forward with strictness and good management". ASECNA's Committee of Ministers met in Cotonou
on 28 June–2 July 2004 to elect a Director-General for the next six-year term, beginning on 1 January 2005. Oubandawaki was a candidate for re-election; although there was no provision for the re-election of a Director-General, there were precedents for multiple terms. However, he received only six votes from the ministers, against 10 for the Chadian candidate Mahamat Youssouf (an Ivorian candidate received one vote). Oubandawaki accordingly left his post as Director-General at the end of 2004 and was succeeded by Youssouf.
on a new constitution that would extend his term in office, the RPN-Alkalami stressed the need for dialogue to resolve the political crisis. If the referendum went forward, the party called on its members to follow their consciences in deciding how to act.
After the success of the referendum in August 2009, the RPN-Alkalami announced that it would participate in the October 2009 parliamentary election
, unlike the major opposition parties, which chose to boycott the election. Oubandawaki was the only RPN-Alkalami candidate to win a seat in the National Assembly.
In mid-November 2009, when the National Assembly began meeting for its new parliamentary term, Oubandawaki was chosen as one of nine members of an ad hoc technical committee that was tasked with formulating new internal regulations for the National Assembly. New internal regulations were deemed necessary because a new constitution had been promulgated since the previous parliamentary term.
Together with eight other deputies, Oubandawaki formed the Independent Parliamentary Group in late November 2009, and he was chosen as its President. Aside from Oubandawaki, the group was composed of seven independent deputies from the Adaltchi-Mutuntchi group as well as the independent deputy Issa Lamine
.
Oubandawaki endorsed Seyni Oumarou
for the second round of the January–March 2011 presidential election
and campaigned with him.
designated Oubandawaki as a Commander of the Order of Merit of Senegal on 24 October 2005.
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
ien politician. An engineer by profession, specializing in civil aviation, Oubandawaki held various posts at ASECNA
ASECNA
The Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar is an air traffic control agency based in Dakar, Senegal...
and served in the government of Niger under President Ibrahim Baré Mainassara, first as Minister of National Defense from 1996 to 1997 and then as Minister of Transport from 1997 to 1998. He was Director-General of ASECNA from January 1999 to December 2004.
After founding a political party, the Rally of Nigerien Patriots (Rassemblement des patriotes nigériens, RPN-Alkalami), Oubandawaki was elected to the National Assembly of Niger
National Assembly of Niger
The unicameral National Assembly of Niger is the country's sole legislative body. The National Assembly may propose laws and is required to approve all legislation.-History:...
in 2009 and became President of the Independent Parliamentary Group.
Political career
Born in 1948 at KonniKonni, Niger
Konni is a traditional Hausa state in what is today south central Maradi Region Niger and north Sokoto State Nigeria. It continues to exist as a ceremonial polity centered on the Nigerien city of Birni-N'Konni....
in Niger, Oubandawaki studied to become an engineer, graduating from the National School of Civil Aviation in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1973. He also studied air transport economy in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the University of Montreal.
Oubandawaki was ASECNA's Representative in Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
and Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
from 1975 to 1976, and he was Commander of Niamey
Niamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
Airport from 1976 to 1979. Subsequently he was ASECNA's Representative in Niger from 1979 to 1980, Director-General of Air Niger
Air Niger
-History:The airline was formed in 1966 by the government of Niger with assistance from Air France and Union des Transports Aériens, taking over services from the defunct Aero Niger. Besides former air taxi and charter operations of Aero Niger, the new airline took over Air France domestic services...
—the national airline—from 1980 to 1983, and Niger's Director of Civil Aviation from 1983 to 1985.
Oubandawaki became Secretary-General of ASECNA in 1985 and remained in that post for 11 years. President Ibrahim Baré Mainassara then appointed him to the Nigerien government as Minister of National Defense on 23 August 1996. He took office on 29 August.
After soldiers at the Agadez
Agadez
-Sources:* Aboubacar Adamou. "Agadez et sa région. Contribution à l'étude du Sahel et du Sahara nigériens", Études nigériennes, n°44, , 358 p.* Julien Brachet. Migrations transsahariennes. Vers un désert cosmopolite et morcelé . Paris: Le Croquant, , 324 p. ISBN : 978-2-91496865-2.*. Saudi Aaramco...
garrison took officials hostage on 2 June 1997, Oubandawaki promptly led a delegation to Agadez; he successfully negotiated the release of the officials and restored government authority on 3 June. In July 1997, he denied reports of a Nigerien–Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
ian attack on the Democratic Revival Front (FDR) rebel group at Bosso
Bosso, Niger
-References:...
. Regarding conflicts with rebels, Oubandawaki said during a visit to Mali
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...
in early August 1997 that "the situation is calm" and that the government was trying to achieve peace with the FDR, the only rebel group that had not signed a 1995 peace accord by that point.
Later in 1997, some rebels withdrew from the accord, complaining that the process was too slow; Oubandawaki criticized them for making "demands which are not realistic in view of our country's constraints." He then announced on 8 November 1997 that 27 Tuareg rebels had been killed in a "clean-up operation" directed against "dissident fronts opposed to peace".
Oubandawaki was included on the Political Bureau of the Rally for Democracy and Progress
Rally for Democracy and Progress (Niger)
The Rally for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Niger. It was established as the ruling party during the presidency of Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara.-Under second military regime and Fourth Republic:...
(RDP-Jama'a), which was established as the ruling party under Mainassara in 1997. In the government, he was moved to the post of Minister of Transport on 1 December 1997; while serving as Minister of Transport, he was also President of the Board of Air Afrique
Air Afrique
Air Afrique was a Pan-African airline, that was mainly owned by many West African countries for most of its history. It was established as the official transnational carrier for francophone West and Central Africa, because many of these countries did not have the capability to create and maintain a...
. After a year as Minister of Transport, he was appointed as Director-General of ASECNA on 13 December 1998, and Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese Transport Minister Tijane Sylla was appointed to succeed him at Air Afrique on 30 January 1999.
After ASECNA was awarded the 2001 Oscar Excellence Award for African Managers, Oubandawaki accepted the prize in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 6 July 2002, saying that it "honours us and encourages us to move forward with strictness and good management". ASECNA's Committee of Ministers met in Cotonou
Cotonou
-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...
on 28 June–2 July 2004 to elect a Director-General for the next six-year term, beginning on 1 January 2005. Oubandawaki was a candidate for re-election; although there was no provision for the re-election of a Director-General, there were precedents for multiple terms. However, he received only six votes from the ministers, against 10 for the Chadian candidate Mahamat Youssouf (an Ivorian candidate received one vote). Oubandawaki accordingly left his post as Director-General at the end of 2004 and was succeeded by Youssouf.
President of the RPN-Alkalami
Oubandawaki founded a political party, the RPN-Alkalami, on 14 May 2009; a provisional executive bureau was set up to lead the party, with Oubandawaki as its President. Initially the party intended for him to stand as its presidential candidate in the election that was originally planned for late in the year. In response to President Mamadou Tandja's decision to call a referendumNigerien constitutional referendum, 2009
A constitutional referendum was held in Niger on 4 August 2009. The purpose of the referendum was to submit to Nigerien voters the dissolution of the Fifth Republic of Niger and the creation of a "Sixth Republic of Niger" under a fully presidential system of government...
on a new constitution that would extend his term in office, the RPN-Alkalami stressed the need for dialogue to resolve the political crisis. If the referendum went forward, the party called on its members to follow their consciences in deciding how to act.
After the success of the referendum in August 2009, the RPN-Alkalami announced that it would participate in the October 2009 parliamentary election
Nigerien parliamentary election, 2009
A parliamentary election was held in Niger on 20 October 2009, in the wake of President Mamadou Tandja's dissolution of the National Assembly in May 2009 and a successful constitution referendum in August 2009.-Election date:...
, unlike the major opposition parties, which chose to boycott the election. Oubandawaki was the only RPN-Alkalami candidate to win a seat in the National Assembly.
In mid-November 2009, when the National Assembly began meeting for its new parliamentary term, Oubandawaki was chosen as one of nine members of an ad hoc technical committee that was tasked with formulating new internal regulations for the National Assembly. New internal regulations were deemed necessary because a new constitution had been promulgated since the previous parliamentary term.
Together with eight other deputies, Oubandawaki formed the Independent Parliamentary Group in late November 2009, and he was chosen as its President. Aside from Oubandawaki, the group was composed of seven independent deputies from the Adaltchi-Mutuntchi group as well as the independent deputy Issa Lamine
Issa Lamine
Issa Lamine is a Nigerien politician. He led the Toubou-based Front Democratique Revolutionnaire, one of several rebel groups operating in the far north and east of Niger in the late 1990s. Lamine entered government as a representative of the eastern town of N'Gourti in 2000...
.
Oubandawaki endorsed Seyni Oumarou
Seyni Oumarou
Seyni Oumarou is a Nigerien politician who was Prime Minister of Niger from June 2007 to September 2009 and President of the National Assembly of Niger from November 2009 to February 2010. He is from the west of the country and is a member of the Djerma ethnic group...
for the second round of the January–March 2011 presidential election
Nigerien presidential election, 2011
The Republic of Niger held a presidential election on 31 January 2011. The first round was to be held on January 3 and the second round on January 31, but those dates were postponed to 31 January 2011 and 12 March 2011...
and campaigned with him.
Honors and awards
Senegalese President Abdoulaye WadeAbdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade is the third and current President of Senegal, in office since 2000. He is also the Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Party and has led the party since it was founded in 1974...
designated Oubandawaki as a Commander of the Order of Merit of Senegal on 24 October 2005.