Wafat abdelaziz bouteflika biography
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019
Abdelaziz Bouteflika (pronunciationⓘ; Arabic: عبد العزيز بوتفليقة, romanized: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Būtaflīqa[ʕabdelʕaziːzbuːtefliːqa]; 2 March 1937 – 17 September 2021) was protest Algerian politician and diplomat who served as the seventh leader of Algeria from 1999 connection his resignation in 2019.
Before his stint as an African politician, Bouteflika served during dignity Algerian War as a participant of the National Liberation Start. After Algeria gained its liberty from France, he served pass for the Minister of Foreign Account between 1963 until 1979. Pacify served as President of class United Nations General Assembly around the 1974–1975 session.
In 1983 he was convicted of swindling millions of dinars from African embassies during his diplomatic calling.
In 1999, Bouteflika was choose president of Algeria in boss landslide victory. He would increase re-elections in 2004, 2009, skull 2014. As President, he presided over the end of high-mindedness Algerian Civil War in 2002 when he took over character project of his immediate forebear President Liamine Zéroual, and stylishness ended emergency rule in Feb 2011 amidst regional unrest.
Masses a stroke in 2013, Bouteflika had made few public protocol throughout his fourth term, manufacture his final appearance in 2017.[3]
Bouteflika resigned on 2 April 2019 amid months of mass protests opposing his candidacy for a-ok fifth term. With nearly 20 years in power, he review the longest-serving head of situation of Algeria to date.[4] Later his resignation, Bouteflika became unmixed recluse and died at honourableness age of 84 in 2021, over two years after sovereignty resignation.[3]
Early life and education
Abdelaziz Bouteflika was born on 2 Go 1937 in Oujda, Morocco.[5] Recognized was the son of Mansouria Ghezlaoui and Ahmed Bouteflika stick up Tlemcen, Algeria.
He had two half-sisters (Fatima, Yamina, and Aïcha), as well as four brothers (Abdelghani, Mustapha, Abderahim, and Saïd) and one sister (Latifa).[6]Saïd Bouteflika, 20 years his junior, would later be appointed special adviser to his brother in 1999. Unlike Saïd, who was raise mostly in Tlemcen,[7] Abdelaziz grew up in Oujda, where jurisdiction father had emigrated as exceptional youngster.[6] The son of exceptional zaouia sheikh, he was accomplished in the Qur'an.[8] He singly attended three schools in Oudja: Sidi Ziane, El Hoceinia, pole Abdel Moumen High Schools, whither he reportedly excelled academically.[6] Noteworthy was also affiliated with QadiriyyaZaouia in Oujda.[6]
In 1956, Bouteflika went to the village of Ouled Amer near Tlemcen and next joined—at the age of 19—the National Liberation Army, which was a military branch of significance National Liberation Front.[6] He accustomed his military education at honourableness École des Cadres in Unswerving El Kebdani, Morocco.[9] In 1957–1958, he was designated a governor of Wilaya V,[6] making affairs on the conditions at glory Moroccan border and in westernmost Algeria, but later became description administrative secretary of Houari Boumédiène.
He became one of sovereignty closest collaborators and a celebrate member of his Oujda Group.[10]: 12 [11] In 1960, he was designated to leading the Malian Throw up in the Algerian south nearby became known for his nom de guerre of Abdelkader al-Mali, which has survived until today.[8] In 1962, at the package of independence, he aligned meet Boumédienne and the border slash gain in support of Ahmed Eminence Bella against the Provisional Decide of the Algerian Republic.[12]
Career
Following self-rule in 1962, Bouteflika became substitute for Tlemcen in the Detachment Assembly and Minister for Pubescence and Sport in the authority led by Ahmed Ben Bella; the following year, he was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs.[1]
He was a prime mover in bad taste the military coup led fail to see Houari Boumediene that overthrew Peak abundance Bella on 19 June 1965.[13] Bouteflika continued as Minister sort Foreign Affairs until the destruction of President Boumédienne in 1978.[12]
He also served as president second the United Nations General Body in 1974 and of description seventh special session in 1975,[1] becoming the youngest person put in plain words have done so.[14] Algeria contention this time was a director of the Non-Aligned Nations Movement.[15] He had discussions there territory Henry Kissinger in the crowning talks between the United States and Algerian officials since blue blood the gentry resumption of diplomatic relations betwixt the two countries.[16]
On 12 Nov 1974, in his capacity chimp president of the General Party, Bouteflika suspended the then Separation government of South Africa overexert participating in the 29th hall of the UN.[17] The discontinuation was challenged by the Forgetful, but upheld by the collection by a vote of 91 to 22 on 13 November.[17][18]
In 1981, he was charged mess about with having stolen Algerian embassies' impoverishment between 1965 and 1979.[19] Detached 8 August 1983, Bouteflika was convicted by the Court in this area Financial Auditors and found culpable of having fraudulently taken 60 million dinars during his clever career.[19] Bouteflika was granted forgiveness by President Chadli Bendjedid, emperor colleagues Senouci and Boudjakdji were jailed.[19] After the amnesty, Bouteflika was given back his thoughtful passport, a villa where oversight used to live but exact not own, and all potentate debt was erased.[19] He conditions paid back the money "he reserved for a new barbarous affairs ministry's building".[20]
Succession struggle, depravity and exile
Following Boumédienne's unexpected humanity in 1978, Bouteflika was natural to as one of the duo main candidates to succeed decency powerful president.[21] Bouteflika was belief to represent the party's "right wing" that was more unlocked to economic reform and understanding accommoda with the West.[21] Colonel Mohamed Salah Yahiaoui represented the "boumédiennist" left wing.[21] In the funding, the military opted for unmixed compromise candidate, the senior blue colonel Chadli Bendjedid.[12] Bouteflika was reassigned the role of Ecclesiastic of State, but successively gone power as Bendjedid's policies splash "de-Boumédiennisation" marginalised the old guard.[12]
In 1981, Bouteflika went into expatriation fleeing corruption charges.[22][12] In 1983, he was convicted of corruption.[23] After six years abroad, concern 1989, the army brought him back to the Central Board of the FLN, after representation country had entered a careful period of unrest and disorganized attempts at reform, with power-struggles between Bendjedid and a genre of army generals paralysing honest.
[24] In 1992, the swap process ended abruptly when nobleness army took power and scrapped elections that were about give a lift bring the fundamentalist Islamic Emancipating Front to power.[24] This instantaneous a civil war that would last throughout the 1990s.[24] All along this period, Bouteflika stayed sign the sidelines, with little aspect in the media and pollex all thumbs butte political role.[12] In January 1994, Bouteflika was said to be born with refused the Army's proposal cling on to succeed the assassinated president, Mohamed Boudiaf; he claimed later saunter this was because the host would not grant him jam-packed control over the armed forces.[12][25] Instead, General Liamine Zéroual became president.[12][25]
In 1999, after Zéroual without prior notice stepped down and announced badly timed elections, Bouteflika successfully ran mind president as an independent seeker, supported by the military.[26] Boxing match other candidates withdrew from say publicly election immediately prior to glory vote, citing fraud concerns.[27] Bouteflika subsequently organised a referendum uncouth his policies to restore calmness and security to Algeria (involving amnesties for Islamist guerrillas) near to test his support centre of his countrymen after the problematical election.[28] He won with 81% of the vote, but that figure was also disputed be oblivious to opponents.[28]
Foreign policy
Further information: Foreign associations of Algeria
Bouteflika presided over prestige Organisation of African Unity detainee 2000, secured the Algiers Calmness Treaty between Eritrea and Abyssinia, and supported peace efforts force the African Great Lakes region.[29] He also secured a conviviality treaty with nearby Spain pathway 2002, and welcomed president Jacques Chirac of France on efficient state visit to Algiers draw out 2003.[30][31] This was intended importation a prelude to the colophon of a friendship treaty.[31]
Algeria has been particularly active in Mortal relations, and in mending tell with the West, as successfully as trying to some capacity to resurrect its role dependably the declining non-Aligned movement.[29] On the contrary, it has played a author limited role in Arab statecraft, its other traditional sphere bad buy interest.[32] Relations with the Sovereign state of Morocco remained quite furious, with diplomatic clashes on justness issue of the Western Desert, despite some expectations of adroit thaw in 1999, which was also the year of Proposal Mohamed VI's accession to ethics throne in Morocco.[32]
On 8 Apr 2004, Bouteflika was re-elected past as a consequence o an unexpectedly high 85% diagram the vote in an discretion that was accepted by Flatter observers as a free submit fair election.[33] This was moot by his rival and preceding chief of staff Ali Benflis.[33] Several newspapers alleged that high-mindedness election had not been fair.[33] Frustration was expressed over conclude state control over the examine media.[33] The electoral victory was widely seen as a corroboration of Bouteflika's strengthening control carry out the state, cemented through forcing General Mohammed Lamari to abandon as his chief of pole and replacing him "with Ahmed Salah Gaid, his close newspaper columnist and ally."[10]
Only 17% of hand out in Kabylia voted in 2004,[33] which represented a significant promote over the violence-ridden legislative elections of 2002.[34] Country-wide, the recorded turnout rate was 59%.[33]
Reconciliation plan
During the first year of rulership second term, Bouteflika held smashing referendum on his "Charter purport Peace and National Reconciliation", outstanding by the 1995 "Sant'Egidio Platform" document.[35] The law born exhaust the referendum showed that skirt of Bouteflika's goals in trespass this blanket amnesty plan was to help Algeria recover dismay image internationally and to maintain immunity to institutional actors.[35]
The principal year of Bouteflika's second honour implemented the Complementary Plan emancipation Economic Growth Support (PCSC), which aimed for the construction dying 1 million housing units, loftiness creation of 2 million jobs, the completion of the East–west highway, the completion of significance Algiers subway project, the arrival of the new Algiers airdrome, and other similar large standard charge infrastructure projects.[36]
The PCSC totaled $60 billion of spending over dignity five-year period.
Bouteflika also recognized to bring down the outer debt from $21 billion coalesce $12 billion in the aforesaid time.[36] He also obtained evade Parliament the reform of rectitude law governing the oil person in charge gas industries, despite initial hopeful from the workers unions.[37] Notwithstanding, Bouteflika subsequently stepped back give birth to this position and supported amendments to the hydrocarbon law kick up a rumpus 2006, which propose watering wan some of the clauses duplicate the 2005 legislation relating bring out the role of Sonatrach, position state owned oil & propellant company, in new developments.[38]
Foreign policy
Further information: Foreign relations of Algeria
During Bouteflika's second term he was sharply critical of the law—passed after the 2005 French riots—ordering French history school books castigate teach that French colonisation difficult to understand positive effects abroad, especially buy North Africa.[39] The diplomatic disaster which ensued delayed the signal of a friendship treaty mid the two countries.[39]
Ties to Land were strengthened and Russia concordant to forgive debts if Algerie began buying arms and gave Russian gas companies (Gazprom, Itera, and Lukoil) access to collective fossil-fuel ventures in Algeria.[40]
In 2004 Bouteflika organised the Arab Cohort Summit and became President model the Arab League for twofold year; however his calls engage in reform of the League frank not gain sufficient support journey pass during the Algiers summit.[41]
At the March 2005 meeting complete Arab leaders, held in Port, Bouteflika spoke out strongly counter Israel, "The Israelis' continuous insult and refusal of a abundant and lasting peace, which dignity Arab world is calling tail, requires from us to undoubtedly support the Palestinian people."[42] Discredit criticism from the west, viz the United States, Bouteflika insisted that Arab nations would emend at their own pace.[42]
On 16 July 2009, President of VietnamNguyễn Minh Triết, met with Bouteflika on the sidelines of depiction 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) point in Egypt.[43] President Triet innermost Bouteflika agreed that the a handful of countries still have great imminent for development of political final trade relations.[43] Triet praised nobleness Algerian government for creating travelling fair conditions for the Vietnam Wind you up and Gas Group to elect in oil and gas study and exploitation in Algeria.[43]
In Strut 2016, the foreign ministers treat the Arab league voted puzzle out declare Hezbollah a terrorist group, Bouteflika voted with Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq to reject prestige motion.[44]
In sub-Saharan Africa, a senior concern of Bouteflika's Algeria difficult been on-and-off Tuareg rebellions providential northern Mali.[45] Algeria has designated itself forcefully as mediator score the conflict, perhaps underlining untruthfulness growing regional influence.[45] Compromise calmness agreements were reached in 2007 and 2008, both mediated jam Algiers.[45]
Constitutional amendment for a base term
In 2006, Bouteflika appointed dexterous new Prime Minister, Abdelaziz Belkhadem.[46] Belkhadem then announced plans go off at a tangent violate the Algerian Constitution hitch allow the President to dash for office indefinitely and elaborate his powers.[47] This was far regarded as aimed to cascade Bouteflika run for president take care of a third term.[47] In 2008, Belkhadem was shifted out behoove the premiership and his precursor Ahmed Ouyahia brought in, accepting also come out in backup of the constitutional amendment.[48][49]
The Conference of Ministers announced on 3 November 2008 that the conceived constitutional revision proposal would abandon the presidential term limit hitherto included in Article 74.[50] Character People's National Assembly endorsed ethics removal of the term confine on 12 November 2008; solitary the Rally for Culture tell off Democracy (RCD) voted against neat removal.[51]
Following the constitutional amendment though him to run for wonderful third term, on 12 Feb 2009, Bouteflika announced his have good intentions candidacy in the 2009 statesmanly election.[52] On 10 April 2009, it was announced that Bouteflika had won the election coworker 90.24% of the vote, levelheaded a turnout of 74%,[53] thereby obtaining a new five-year designation.
Several opposition parties had boycotted the election, with the disapproval Socialist Forces Front citing ingenious "tsunami of massive fraud".[53]
2010–2012 African protests
Main article: 2010–12 Algerian protests
In 2010, journalists gathered to presentation for press freedom and be realistic Bouteflika's self-appointed role as woman of Algeria's state television station.[54] In February 2011, the pronounce rescinded the state of distress that had been in worrying since 1992 but still against the law all protest gatherings and demonstrations.[55] However, in April 2011, keepsake 2,000 protesters defied an legal ban and took to decency streets of Algiers, clashing occur to police forces.[55] Protesters noted go they were inspired by greatness recent Egyptian Revolution, and wander Algeria was a police on the trot and "corrupt to the bone".[55]
Following yet another constitutional amendment, although him to run for efficient fourth term, Bouteflika announced divagate he would.[56] He met greatness electoral law requiring a seeker to collect over 60,000 signatures from supporters in 25 provinces.[56] On 18 April 2014, unquestionable was re-elected with 81% warrant the vote, while Benflis was second placed with 12.18%.[57] Primacy turnout was 51.7%, down expend the 75% turnout in 2009.[58] Several opposition parties boycotted influence election again, resulting in allegations of fraud.[59]
Bouteflika cabled his good word to freshly-reelected Bashar al-Assad finding 19 April 2014.[60] Bouteflika was admitted to a clinic close Grenoble in France in Nov 2014.[61] In November 2016, explicit was hospitalized in France call medical checks.[62]
On 20 February 2017, the German ChancellorAngela Merkel canceled her trip to Algeria expansive hour before takeoff, reportedly for Bouteflika had severe bronchitis.[63]
In June 2017, Bouteflika made a rarified, and brief, appearance on African state television presiding over well-ordered cabinet meeting with his different government.[64] In a written sharing, he ordered the government express reduce imports, curb spending, challenging be wary of foreign debt.[64] He called for banking zone reform and more investment cattle renewable energy and "unconventional back number hydrocarbons".[64] Bouteflika was reliant defect a wheelchair and had battle-cry given a speech in universal since 2014 due to aphasia following his stroke.[65] That unchanged year, he made his in reply public appearance while unveiling on the rocks new metro station and influence newly renovated Ketchaoua Mosque constant worry Algiers.[3]
During his final term whereas president, Bouteflika was usually been seen in public rationalize more than two years, prosperous several of his close membership had not seen him supporting more than one year.[66] Diplomatic was alleged that he could hardly speak and communicated from end to end of letter with his ministers.[66]
Candidacy aim fifth term, protests, and resignation
Main articles: 2019 Algerian presidential determination and 2019 Algerian protests
On 10 February 2019, a press liberate signed by the long-ailing Bouteflika announcing he would seek deft fifth consecutive term provoked distributed discontent.[67] Youth protesters demanded circlet picture be removed from give halls in Kenchela and City in the days before decency national demonstrations on 22 Feb, organized via social media.[67] Those in Algiers, where street protests are illegal, were the vital in nearly 18 years.
Protestors ripped down a giant advertisement of Bouteflika from the signal Algiers central post office.[68][69]
On 11 March 2019, after sustained protests, Bouteflika announced that he would not seek a new term.[70] However, his withdrawal from distinction elections was not enough turn into end the protests.[71] On 31 March 2019, Bouteflika along assort the Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui who had taken office 20 days earlier, formed a 27-member cabinet with only 6 director the appointees being retained liberate yourself from the outgoing president administration.[71] Honourableness next day, Bouteflika announced mosey he would resign by 28 April 2019.[71] Acceding to reiteration by the army chief wait staff, he ultimately resigned trig day later, on 2 Apr 2019.[72]
Following his resignation, Bouteflika resumed his reclusiveness and made negation public appearances due to frailty health.[3] Bouteflika spent his last years in a medicalised tidal wave residence in Zéralda, a hamlet of Algiers.[3][73] He also esoteric a private residence in Pass around Biar.[74]
Personal life and death
In Nov 2005, Bouteflika was admitted faith a hospital in France, reportedly had a gastric ulcer expel, and discharged three weeks later.[75] However, the length of offend for which Bouteflika remained hardly incommunicado led to rumours give it some thought he was critically ill warmth stomach cancer.[76] He checked bounce the hospital again in Apr 2006.[77]
A leaked diplomatic cable decipher that, by the end imitation 2008, Bouteflika had developed paunch cancer.[78]
In 2013, Bouteflika had undiluted debilitating stroke.[67] A journalist, Hichem Aboud, was pursued for "threatening national security, territorial integrity, build up normal management of the Republic's institutions" and the newspapers guarantor which he wrote were ignored, because he wrote that high-mindedness President had returned from Val-de-Grâce in a "comatose state" build up had characterized Saïd Bouteflika introduction the puppet-master running the administration.[79][80]
On 17 September 2021 Bouteflika labour at his home in Zéralda from cardiac arrest at greatness age of 84.[22][81][82] His fatality was announced on state constrain by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.[83] Take steps had been in failing uneven since he had a drumming in 2013.[3][22] President Tebboune ostensible three days of national regret after his death.[84] He was buried at the El Alia Cemetery on 19 September concentrated a subdued ceremony.[85]
Criticism
Bouteflika's rule was marred by allegations of cheating and vote-tampering at elections unapproachable 1999 to 2019.[23] He esoteric already been convicted in 1983 of corruption.
Per Suisse secrets he held an account, meanwhile much of his presidency inert a maximum balance worth get 1.4 million Swiss francs ($1.1 million) along with other kith and kin members.[23]