Seydou Diarra

Who is Seydou Diarra?

Seydou Elimane Diarra is an Ivorian political figure who was Prime Minister in 2000 and again from 2003 to 2005.

Diarra was born in Katiola. Prior to joining the government, he was an Ambassador to the European Economic Community and Brazil and was President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d'Ivoire. After the December 1999 military coup, he was appointed as Minister of State for Planning, Development, and Government Cooperation on 4 January 2000, under transitional President Robert Guéï. He was subsequently Prime Minister from May 2000 to October 2000.

He was again appointed as Prime Minister in February 2003 as part of a deal to end the country's 2002-2003 civil war, because he was widely considered to be a neutral figure; however, many supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo accused him of not taking a strong stance against the rebels, despite their failure to disarm in October 2004, and demanded his resignation.

On 5 December 2005, African Union mediators announced that Diarra was to be replaced by Charles Konan Banny, effective on 7 December.