Nicéphore Soglo 2166105 224916076 2008-07-11T00:00:44Z Everyking 44020 '''Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo''' (born [[29 November]] [[1934]]) is a [[Benin]]ese [[politician]] who was [[Heads of Government of Benin|Prime Minister of Benin]] from 1990 to 1991 and [[Heads of State of Benin|President]] from 1991 to 1996. He has been the Mayor of [[Cotonou]] since 2003. After receiving degrees in [[law]] and [[economics]] from the [[University of Paris]], Soglo returned to Benin (then called [[Dahomey]]) and held government posts in the areas of [[finance]] and economics. Following the [[1972]] [[coup]] that brought [[Mathieu Kérékou]] to power, he left the country and held positions at international organizations such as the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) and the [[World Bank]]. In the late 1980s, faced with growing dissatisfaction over a stagnant economy, the Kérékou government agreed to convene a national conference that would lead the country towards [[multiparty]] [[democracy]]. The conference designated Nicéphore Soglo interim Prime Minister, and he took office on [[12 March]] [[1990]]. The conference produced a constitution that was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum held on [[2 December]] [[1990]]. In the country's first [[multiparty]] presidential election, Soglo took first place in the first round, held on [[10 March]] [[1991]], with 36.31% of the vote. A run-off against Kérékou followed on [[24 March]] in which Soglo won a strong majority, receiving 67.73% of the vote.<ref name="Elections">[http://africanelections.tripod.com/bj.html Elections in Benin], African Elections Database.</ref> He took office on [[4 April]] [[1991]]. In the following year, the [[Renaissance Party of Benin]] (known by the acronym PRB or RB) was founded by Rosine Soglo; her husband became leader of the party in 1994. In 1993, President Soglo headed the Benin delegation which participated in the first [[Tokyo International Conference on African Development]].<ref>Japan, Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MOFA): [http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/africa/ticad/list/africa.html 28 African nations]</ref> During his presidency, Soglo took efforts to refurbish Benin's devastated economy. These economic measures caused civil unrest and undermined his popularity. Despite these problems, his government was praised for its adherence to democratic principles and respect for [[human rights]]. In the [[Benin presidential election, 1996|March 1996 presidential election]], Soglo again took first place in the first round, but in the second round he was defeated by Mathieu Kérékou, receiving 47.51% of the vote.<ref name="Elections"/> Soglo alleged [[election fraud]], but this was rejected by the Constitutional Court.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9113740 Benin, Year in Review: 1996], Britannica.com.</ref> In a bid to regain the presidency in the [[Benin presidential election, 2001|March 2001 election]], he placed second behind Mathieu Kérékou, winning 27.12% of the vote. Although Soglo qualified to participate in a run-off against Kérékou, he withdrew alleging irregularities, which resulted in a Kérékou victory.<ref name="Elections"/> Soglo could not run again in the [[Beninese presidential election, 2006|March 2006 presidential election]] due to the age limit of 70 years; his son [[Lehady Soglo]] ran as the candidate of the Renaissance Party instead,<ref>[http://www.afrol.com/articles/18319 "Underfinanced Benin election promises change"], afrol News, March 3, 2006.</ref> placing fourth with 8.44% of the vote.<ref name="Elections"/> Another son, [[Ganiou Soglo|Ganiou]], also ran in the election,<ref>Joe Bavier, [http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-03/Son-Of-Benin-Ex-President-Vies-For-Presidency.cfm "Son of Benin's Ex-President Vies for Presidency"], VOA News, March 1, 2006.</ref> but he fared poorly, receiving only about 0.17% of the vote.<ref name="Elections"/> Nicéphore Soglo and the RB were victorious in the December 2002&ndash;January 2003 municipal election in [[Cotonou]], Benin's largest city.<ref name=Afrol>[http://www.afrol.com/html/News2003/ben001_local_polls.htm "Opposition set to win in major Beninese cities"], afrol News, January 12, 2003.</ref> In the 12th arrondissement, Soglo defeated pro-government Movement candidate [[Sévérin Adjovi‎]].<ref name=Afrol/><ref>[http://www.ambafrance-bj.org/IMG/doc/chr20030102.doc "I- SITUATION POLITIQUE INTERIEURE"], ambafrance-bj.org {{fr icon}}.</ref> Soglo was elected as Mayor by the city's council on [[February 13]] [[2003]], receiving the support of 41 of the 45 councillors,<ref name=IRINMayor>[http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=41640 "Ex-president elected mayor of Cotonou"], IRIN, February 17, 2003.</ref> and he was sworn in on the same day.<ref>"Programme summary of Radio Benin news 1930 gmt 13 Feb 03", Radio Benin (nl.newsbank.com), February 14, 2003.</ref> He said that he would focus on reducing pollution and improving waste management and drainage.<ref name=IRINMayor/> While hospitalized at the [[American Hospital of Paris]], located in [[Neuilly-sur-Seine]], Soglo was falsely reported to have died in February 2005.<ref>"Former President of Benin Soglo still alive; death announcement was "a mistake"", Radio France Internationale (nl.newsbank.com), February 17, 2005.</ref> Along with former [[United States]] President [[Jimmy Carter]], Soglo headed the multinational delegation of the [[National Democratic Institute]] and the [[Carter Center]] for the [[Liberian general election, 2005|October 2005 Liberian election]].<ref>"Former US President Carter leads foreign observer team to monitor Liberia poll", ''The Analyst'', Liberia (nl.newsbank.com), October 7, 2005.</ref> Soglo ran for re-election as a municipal councillor in the [[Beninese local elections, 2008|April 2008 local election]] in Cotonou; he was also the RB candidate for Mayor, vowing to continue to modernize the city and create a system of public transportation. He faced [[Jérôme Dandjinou]] of the governing [[Cauris Forces for an Emerging Benin]].<ref>[http://apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article&id_article=61169 "Cotonou courtisée par les candidats aux élections locales du Bénin"], African Press Agency, April 18, 2008.</ref> Following the local election, the municipal councillors re-elected Soglo as Mayor on [[June 3]] [[2008]]. There were 48 votes in favor of Soglo and one abstention.<ref>[http://apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article_eng&id_article=65659 "Former Beninese president re-elected Cotonou Mayor"], African Press Agency, June 4, 2008.</ref> ==Notes== {{reflist|2}} {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Mathieu Kérékou]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Heads of State of Benin|President of Benin]] |years=1991 &ndash; 1996}} {{s-aft|after=[[Mathieu Kérékou]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Abdou Diouf]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Economic Community of West African States|Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States]] |years=1993 &ndash; 1994}} {{s-aft|after=[[Jerry Rawlings]]}} {{s-end}} {{BeninPresidents}} [[Category:1934 births|Soglo, Nicéphore]] [[Category:Beninese politicians|Soglo, Nicéphore]] [[Category:Living people|Soglo, Nicéphore]] [[Category:World Bank]] [[Category:Alumni of the École Nationale d'Administration]] [[br:Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo]] [[cs:Nicéphore Soglo]] [[de:Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo]] [[el:Νισεφόρ Σογκλό]] [[fr:Nicéphore Soglo]] [[pl:Nicéphore Soglo]] [[fi:Nicéphore Soglo]] [[sv:Nicéphore Soglo]]