Youssouf Ouédraogo

Youssouf Ouédraogo (born December 25 1952 [http://www.petiteacademie.gov.bf/Personnalite/Personnalite.asp?CodePersonnalite=146 Profile at petiteacademie.gov.bf] fr icon.] ) is a politician in Burkina Faso. In 1992 he became the first Prime Minister of Burkina Faso since 1983, serving from June 16, 1992 to March 22, 1994. From January 1999 to June 2007 he was the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. He is a member of the ruling Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP).

Ouédraogo was born in Tikaré, in Bam Province. Under Thomas Sankara, Ouédraogo was appointed to the government as Minister of Planning and Popular Development on August 31 1984, remaining in that position for three years. Shortly after Sankara was assassinated in October 1987, Ouédraogo became Minister for the Plan and Cooperation under Blaise Compaoré. He left that position on April 25 1989 and became President of the Economic and Social Council,Jean-Pierre Bejot, [http://www.lefaso.net/article.php3?id_article=135/ "Youssouf Ouédraogo, patron de la diplomatie burkinabè"] , lefaso.net, November 3, 2003 fr icon.] in which position he served until he was elected to the National Assembly as a deputy from Bam in the May 1992 parliamentary election. He was appointed Prime Minister by Compaoré on June 16 1992. The CFA franc was devaluated in January 1994, and this was followed by controversy."Mar 1994 - New Government", Keesing's Record of World Events, Volume 40, March, 1994 Burkina, Page 39898.] Ouédraogo signed an agreement with trade unions to raise salaries on March 12 1994, but the agreement fell through and Ouédraogo resigned a few days later. He then served as Ambassador to Belgium, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg and the European Union before being appointed as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in January 1999. [ [http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/OUEST/burkina/burkinagvts/burkinagvt140199.htm "Le gouvernement du Burkina Faso, formé le 14 janvier 1999"] , "Afrique Express" fr icon.]

Ouédraogo was elected to the National Assembly again in the 2007 parliamentary election as a candidate of the CDP from Bam Province. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20070810101731/http://www.an.bf/SiteAn/afficher.jsp?code=140 List of candidates elected to the National Assembly in 2007] , National Assembly website fr icon.] In the government of Prime Minister Tertius Zongo, which was appointed on June 10 2007, he was replaced as Foreign Minister by Djibrill Bassolé. [ [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/pays/burkina/article_depeche.asp?art_cle=AFP60607lenouriovuo0 "Le nouveau gouvernement reste dominé par le parti au pouvoir"] , AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), June 11, 2007 fr icon.]

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