Eugène Camara

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Eugène Camara (born 21 January 1942^[1]) was briefly Prime Minister of Guinea in February 2007. He appointed to that position by President Lansana Conté on February 9, 2007,^[2] following a general strike in January that ended with Conté agreeing to appoint a new prime minister who would be head of government.^[3] The position of prime minister had been vacant since the dismissal of Cellou Dalein Diallo in April 2006;^[4] prior to Camara, prime ministers in Guinea had not been head of government.^[3]

Prior to his appointment as prime minister, Camara had been minister of state for presidential affairs since 19 January 2007, when he replaced Fodé Bangoura in that position.^[2][5] Before this, Camara was minister of higher education and scientific research from November 1997 to 2004, and then minister of planning from 2004 until January 2007.^[1]

The appointment of Camara did not go down well with the opposition, who rebuffed Camara as a man of the old establishment. Following his appointment violence erupted in several parts of the country.^[6] Labor unions restarted the strike on February 12, and Conté declared martial law on the same day.^[7] A proposal to leave Camara in office as prime minister for three months as a trial period was rejected by the unions on February 20.^[8] On February 25, it was announced that Conté had agreed to appoint a new prime minister from a list of individuals chosen by the unions and representatives of civil society, and the unions said that the strike would end on February 27. Conté chose the new prime minister, Lansana Kouyaté, on 26 February.^[9] On 1 March, Camara presided over Kouyaté's swearing in ceremony, at which Conté was not present.^[10]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Qui est Eugène Camara, le nouveau ministre d'Etat aux Affaires présidentielles ?", Guineeconakry.info, January 20, 2007 (French).
2. ^ ^{a b} "Guinea : Lansana Conté nominated PM", African Press Agency, February 9, 2007.
3. ^ ^{a b} "Guinea president names new PM", Al Jazeera, February 9, 2007.
4. ^ "Martial law imposed in Guinea's capital after deadly protest", Associated Press (USA Today), February 13, 2007.
5. ^ "Lansana Conté limoge El Hadji Fodé Bangoura, Ministre d’Etat", African Press Agency, January 19, 2007 (French).
6. ^ "Deadly clashes erupt over Guinea PM", Al Jazeera, February 10, 2007.
7. ^ "Martial law declared in Guinea", Al Jazeera, February 12, 2007.
8. ^ Saliou Samb, "Conte seeks extension of martial law", Reuters (IOL), February 23, 2007.
9. ^ "Guinea PM named in strike deal", BBC News, February 26, 2007.
10. ^ "Kouyate takes his oath in Conakry", AFP (IOL), March 2, 2007.

Political offices
Preceded by Cellou Dalein Diallo	Prime Minister of Guinea 2007	Succeeded by Lansana Kouyate