Niger
)
, official_languages =
, languages_type = National languagesPrime Minister of Niger from October 2009 to February 2010. He was
Minister of Finance
A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation.
A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...
from 2000 to 2002 and then served as Vice-Governor of the
Central Bank of West African States
The Central Bank of West African States (french: Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, BCEAO) is a central bank serving the eight west African countries which share the common West African CFA franc currency and comprise the West ...
(BCEAO) before being appointed as Prime Minister by
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Mamadou Tandja
Mamadou Tandja (1938 – 24 November 2020) was a Nigerien politician who was President of Niger from 1999 to 2010. He was President of the National Movement for the Development Society (MNSD) from 1991 to 1999 and unsuccessfully ran as the MNS ...
. Gamatié was Prime Minister for only a few months, however, as Tandja was overthrown in a February 2010 military coup.
Political background
In the first government of Prime Minister
Hama Amadou
Hama Amadou (born 1949) is a Nigerien politician who was Prime Minister of Niger from 1995 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2007. He was also Secretary-General of the National Movement for the Development of Society (MNSD-Nassara) from 1991 to 200 ...
, which was named on 5 January 2000, Gamatié was included as
Minister of Finance
A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation.
A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...
. As Finance Minister, Gamatié was an international advocate for the total cancellation of foreign debts of Niger and other
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
The heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) are a group of 39 developing countries with high levels of poverty and debt overhang which are eligible for special assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
The HIPC ...
(HIPC). He was involved in IMF negotiations on the debt status of these nations. As Finance Minister he also raised questions about the accountability and representativeness of
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...
s and civil society groups operating in Niger and elsewhere. During his term as Minister, Gamatié oversaw a period of major government cutbacks during a 2002 finance crisis.
In July 2003, journalist Mamane Abou of ''Le Républicain'' newspaper in Niamey was arrested for defamation after he wrote an article accusing Gamatié and Hama Amadou of using unauthorized Treasury funds to pay for government contracts. The Finance Minister was also criticized by the opposition for sponsoring 2001 legislation which would dramatically raise taxes on private newspaper publishers, which they feared would bankrupt the opposition press. In October 2003, Gamatié was replaced as Finance Minister by
Ali Lamine Zeine
Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine (born 1965) is a Nigerien politician and economist who has served as the prime minister of Niger since 2023. He was appointed prime minister by the Niger military junta on 8 August 2023, and appointed finance minister ...
. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Gamatié was close to Prime Minister Amadou, then seen as a potential rival of President Tandja. Foreign analysis concluded that because of his relationship with the Prime Minister, Gamatié's removal "...may have involved political considerations".
In October 2003, Gamatié was appointed Vice-Governor of the
Central Bank of West African States
The Central Bank of West African States (french: Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, BCEAO) is a central bank serving the eight west African countries which share the common West African CFA franc currency and comprise the West ...
(BCEAO). In 2006 he was on a short list of four candidates to replace
as Governor of the bank.
The Nigerien press reported that opposition leader
Mahamadou Issoufou
Mahamadou Issoufou (born 1 January 1952) is a Nigerien politician who served as the President of Niger from 7 April 2011 to 2 April 2021. Issoufou was the prime minister of Niger from 1993 to 1994, president of the National Assembly from 1995 t ...
had in 2007 proposed that Gamatié—rather than eventual Prime Minister
—lead a government of national unity when President Tandja sought opposition involvement in the new government following Hama Amadou's removal. During the corruption court cases against Hama Amadou in 2008, Gamatié testified that the 100 million CFA francs Amadou was charged with taking from the treasury were diverted without the Finance Minister's knowledge.
In 2008, Gamatié served as Special Adviser to the President for Mineral Affairs and as chief government negotiator with French uranium mining company Areva, leading to a deal which saw a 1 billion Euro investment in Niger's
Imouraren
The Imouraren mine is a large mine located in the northern part of Niger in Agadez Region. Imouraren represents one of the largest uranium reserves in Niger having estimated reserves of 109.1 million tonnes of ore grading 0.06% uranium. It is the ...
mining site.
In August 2009 the Nigerien press reported that Gamatié was a supporter of President Tandja's drive to extend his mandate and create a new constitution. Tandja's constitutional referendum, which established a presidential system and reduced the importance of the office of Prime Minister by making the President the
head of government
The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, ...
, was successful; Gamatié was subsequently appointed as Prime Minister on 2 October 2009.
Tandja was ousted in a military coup on 18 February 2010 and his government was dissolved. Gamatié was one of only three ministers who were not promptly released from house arrest in the days after the coup. According to one of the junta leaders, Colonel Djibrilla Hamidou Hima, the ministers "still under surveillance" had held "very sensitive portfolios" and therefore it was necessary "to ensure their security". The MNSD called for the release of Gamatié, Tandja, and the others.
Suffering from high blood pressure, Gamatié was released from house arrest on 4 March and was promptly hospitalized at the National Hospital of Niamey. After three days there, he was taken to
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...