Faustin-Archange Touadéra

Faustin-Archange Touadéra
Prime Minister of the Central African Republic
In office 22 January 2008 – 17 January 2013
President	François Bozizé
Preceded by	Élie Doté
Succeeded by	Nicolas Tiangaye
Personal details
Born	(1957-04-21) 21 April 1957 Bangui, Ubangi-Shari (now Central African Republic)
Political party	National Convergence
Alma mater	University of Bangui University of Cocody University of Lille University of Yaoundé I

Faustin-Archange Touadéra (born 21 April 1957^[1]) is a Central African politician and academic who served as Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from January 2008 to January 2013.

Background and academic career

Touadéra was born in Bangui;^[1] his family was originally from Damara, to the north of Bangui.^[2] He received his secondary education at the Barthelemy Boganda College in Bangui before attending the University of Bangui and the University of Abidjan. He earned a "mathematics" doctorat in 1986, supervised by Daniel GOURDIN ^[3] at the Lille University of Science and Technology (Lille I) in France and another "doctorat", also in mathematics which was supervised by Marcel DOSSA ^[4] at the University of Yaoundé I in Cameroon in 2004. In 1987 he became assistant lecturer of mathematics at the University of Bangui and was vice-dean of the University's Faculty of Science from 1989 to 1992. In the latter year he became director of the teachers' training college. He joined the Inter-State Committee for the Standardisation of Mathematics Programs in the French-speaking countries and the Indian Ocean (CIEHPM) in 1999, serving as the President of the Committee from 2001 to 2003. He became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bangui in May 2004.^[1] Touadéra subsequently served a rector of the university between 2005 and 2008 during which he launched several key initiatives, such as the entrepreneurship training program^[5] and the creation of the Euclid Consortium.

Prime minister

Touadéra was appointed Prime Minister by President François Bozizé on 22 January 2008, following the resignation of Élie Doté.^[6] His government, composed of 29 members—four ministers of state, 17 ministers, and seven minister delegates, along with himself—was appointed on 28 January.^[7]

A national dialogue was held in December 2008, and Bozizé then dissolved Touadéra's government on 18 January 2009 in preparation for the formation of a government of national unity.^[8] Touadéra was reappointed as Prime Minister on 19 January. Later on the same day, his new 31-minister government was appointed, with only 10 ministers retaining their posts; many former rebels were included in the new lineup to prepare the country for the 2009 local elections and the 2010 presidential and parliamentary polls.^[9]

Following a peace deal between the Bozizé government and the Seleka rebel coalition in January 2013, Bozizé dismissed Touadéra on 12 January 2013, in accordance with the terms of the agreement, which required that a new prime minister be appointed from the political opposition.^[10]

References

Prime Ministers of the Central African Republic Colonial Boganda Goumba (Acting) Dacko Independent Dacko Abolished: 1960–1975 Domitien Patassé Maïdou Ayandho Lebouder Bozanga Abolished: 1981–1991 Frank Malendoma Lakoué Mandaba Koyambounou Ngoupandé Gbezera-Bria Dologuélé Ziguélé Goumba Gaombalet Doté Touadéra Tiangaye Nzapayeké (Acting) Kamoun (Acting)