AIME HENRI KONAN BEDLE

Aimé Henri Konan Bédié was born on May 5, 1934, in Dadiékro, located in the Daoukro Department of Ivory Coast. He pursued his education in France and returned to Côte d'Ivoire, where he would significantly influence the country's political landscape. In 1957, Bédié married Henriette Koizan Bomo, and together they raised four children.

After Côte d'Ivoire gained independence in 1960, Bédié became the nation’s first ambassador to the United States and Canada. He later served as Minister of Economy and Finance from 1966 to 1977, during which he was also the inaugural Chairman of the IMF and World Bank's joint Development Committee. Bédié's expertise in finance was recognized further when he became a Special Advisor to the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation from 1978 to 1980.

In 1980, he was elected to the National Assembly and subsequently became its President, a role he held through re-elections in 1985 and 1990. His political career took a pivotal turn when he assumed the presidency on December 7, 1993, following the death of longtime President Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Shortly after taking office, he navigated a power struggle with Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara, who resigned in December 1993. As President of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI), which he led from April 1994, Bédié aimed to maintain national stability.

However, his administration faced accusations of political repression and corruption. In the controversial 1995 presidential election, Bédié implemented amendments to the electoral code that many viewed as targeting Ouattara, effectively barring him from candidacy. Despite this, Bédié secured a staggering 96% of the vote amid a boycott by opposition parties.

Bédié’s presidency ended abruptly on December 24, 1999, when he was overthrown in a military coup after refusing to meet the demands of rebelling soldiers. He fled to Togo and subsequently to France, where he continued to influence Ivorian politics from abroad. In 2001, following a national reconciliation effort led by then-President Laurent Gbagbo, Bédié returned to Côte d'Ivoire.

Despite a tumultuous political career marked by division and controversy, he remained active in Ivorian politics, reclaiming the leadership of the PDCI in 2002. Bédié continued to engage with the political landscape, announcing his candidacy for the presidency in both 2008 and 2020. His later years were characterized by efforts to unify the nation and critique the leadership of his successors.

Aimé Henri Konan Bédié passed away on August 1, 2023, in a private hospital in Abidjan, leaving behind a complex legacy intertwined with the history of Côte d'Ivoire. His contributions and controversies continue to resonate in the political narrative of the nation he helped shape.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Konan_B%C3%A9di%C3%A9