BAMAKO, 11 November 2020 – Former Malian President Ahmadou Toumani Toure has died of, as yet, unknown causes.
He died Monday at a hospital in the Turkish capital, Istanbul.
He was 72.
A former army general, Toumani Toure, is remembered for putting in place democratic reforms leading to the first successful transfer of power from the military to civilian rule in Mali.
Toumani Toure was put in charge of the transitional committee which ousted former president Moussa Traore in a coup in 1991.
Sunset for “The Soldier of Democracy” – Photo Bangkok Post
In admiration for the excellent job he had done, many fondly referred to him as “the soldier of democracy”.
Following the transition, he served as a general under Mali’s former president Alpha Oumar Konare, who was elected in 1992.
Toumani Toure resigned from the military in 2002 to run for president, successfully defeating Soumaila Cisse in second round of voting. He was ousted by a military coup eight years ago.
His successor, Ibrahim Boubacar, was ousted in yet another military coup only three months ago.
