Jean-Paul Ngoupandé

Jean-Paul Ngoupandé (born December 6, 1948) is a former Prime Minister of the Central African Republic. Born in Dékoa, Kemo-Gribingui, he was appointed by President Ange-Félix Patassé on 6 June 1996 and resigned on 30 January 1997. Since then he has run for president of the Central African Republic twice and served as foreign minister for one year. He is president of the National Unity Party ("Parti de l'unité nationale", PUN), an entity which he founded in the mid-1990s. He presents himself as an enemy of corruption and a defender of fair elections and democratic institutions.

His tenure as Prime Minister (and simultaneously as Minister of Finance) was marked by the implementation of an open-door economic policy through structural adjustment. Ngoupandé fell into a dispute with President Patassé over the speed of these reforms, and resigned in favour of Michel Gbezera-Bria in early 1997.

Standing as his party's candidate in the presidential election of 19 September 1999 (won by the incumbent Patassé), he received 3.14 percent of the vote, in sixth place. [ [http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/RAPPORT_DE_LA_MISSION_D_OBSERVATION_DES_ELECTIONS_PRESIDENTIELLES_DU_19_SEPTEMBRE_1999.pdf "RAPPORT DE LA MISSION D’OBSERVATION DES ELECTIONS PRESIDENTIELLES DU 19 SEPTEMBRE 1999"] , democratie.francophonie.org fr icon.] [http://africanelections.tripod.com/cf.html Elections in the Central African Republic] , African Elections Database.]

On 10 October 2004, the National Unity Party announced that Ngoupandé would contest the presidential election of 13 March 2005 under its banner. The election marked a return to democratic rule after the coup d'état of 15 March 2003, which installed Gen. François Bozizé as president of an interim government backed by Chad. In January 2005, Ngoupandé returned to Bangui from exile in Paris. In his campaign, he emphasized the need to bring peace and stability to the country, especially those areas most affected by rebel activity before the coup. His candidacy was originally disqualified on a technicality on 30 December 2004, along with six others, [ [http://www.sangonet.com/actu-snews/ICAR/Dsp/coup-trafalg-cmait_pt2005.html "Présidentielle en RCA: seuls cinq candidats admis à se présenter"] , AFP, December 30, 2004.] but it was reinstated by Bozizé along with two others on 4 January 2005. [ [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=52581 "Bozize repeals court ban on some presidential candidates"] , IRIN, January 5, 2005.] He received fourth place and 5.08% of the vote in the first round, [ [http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/RCA_RMO1303_08052005.pdf "RAPPORT DE LA MISSION D’OBSERVATION DES ELECTIONS PRESIDENTIELLE ET LEGISLATIVES DES 13 MARS ET 8 MAI 2005 EN REPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE"] , democratie.francophonie.org fr icon.] and he was also elected to a seat in the National Assembly from Dékoa in the first round, one of 17 candidates (out of 105 seats) to win a seat in the first round. [ [http://www.fodem.org/la_depeche/200504/LEGISLATIVES1ERTOUR.pdf Results of 2005 parliamentary first round and list of candidates qualifying for the second round] , fodem.org fr icon.] [ [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=53713 "17 MPs elected in 1st round poll"] , IRIN, April 4, 2005.]

On April 21, Massi signed an agreement to support Bozizé in the second round of the election. [ [http://www.izf.net/izf/Actualite/RDP/04/rca.htm "Elections: MM. Ngoupandé et Massi apportent leur soutien à M. Bozizé"] , AFP (izf.net), April 21, 2005.] After Bozizé's victory in the second round, held in May, on 19 June 2005 Ngoupandé was named Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of newly-appointed Prime Minister Élie Doté. [ [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=54989 "Newly-appointed premier names cabinet"] , IRIN, June 21, 2005.]

On January 1 2006, Ngoupandé was taken to the Val-de-Grâce hospital in Paris after suffering a heart attack. After treatment, he returned to Bangui on February 12. [ [http://www.izf.net/izf/actualite/RDP/09/rca.htm "Centrafrique: retour du chef de la diplomatie après des soins en France"] , AFP (izf.net), February 12, 2006 fr icon.] He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs until September 2 2006, when he left that position in a cabinet reshuffle and instead became special advisor to Bozizé. [ [http://www.fodem.org/la_depeche/200609/060903%20DOTE3.htm "Nouveau gouvernement"] , fodem.org, September 3, 2006 fr icon.]

Bibliography

* Ngoupandé, Jean-Paul. "Chronique de la crise centrafricaine 1996-1997: le syndrome Barracuda". (1997) ISBN 2738458009
* Ngoupandé, Jean-Paul. "L'Afrique sans la France: histoire d'un divorce consommé". (2002) ISBN 2226130888
* Ngoupandé, Jean-Paul. "L'Afrique face à l'islam: les enjeux africains de la lutte contre le terrorisme". (2003) ISBN 2226137734

Quotations

* “We are bound to live together on this CAR land. I understand the anger and the pain. However, we all have to strive and stop the cycle of violence and the settlement of scores, which could take us too far, further than we can imagine.”
* “Coming up with a plan aimed at rebuilding the country … will require that we talk about the true issues, and God knows how many they are: insecurity, the sharp financial crisis, the AIDS pandemic and all its consequences, the disaster in the area of education. The issues are many.”
* ”This country is presenting an ugly image in Africa and in the world. It is seen as not serious.”
* “Coming to power through a democratic election does not entitle anyone to commit massacres.”

References

External links

* [http://www.african-geopolitics.org African Geopolitics]