Luc-Adolphe Tiao (born 4 June 1954) is a Burkinabé

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

and

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...

who was

Prime Minister of Burkina Faso This is a list of prime ministers of Burkina Faso since the formation of the post of Prime Minister of the Republic of Upper Volta in 1971 to the present day. A total of fifteen people have served as Prime Minister of Upper Volta/Burkina Faso ...

from 2011 to 2014.

Early life and career in journalism

Born at

Tenkodogo Tenkodogo is the capital city of Boulgou Province and the Centre-Est Region of Burkina Faso with a population of 61,936 (2019). Economy The villages surrounding Tenkodogo are primarily based around animal husbandry. The main market takes place e ...

, Tiao attended a

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...

from 1969 to 1974 and studied to become a priest, but he abandoned that pursuit upon concluding that his left-wing views were incompatible with a career in the Church. He received degrees from the Center for Science and Information Technology Studies at the

University of Dakar Cheikh Anta Diop University (french: Université Cheikh Anta Diop or UCAD), also known as the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, is a university in Dakar, Senegal. It is named after the Senegalese physicist, historian and anthropologist Cheik ...

and the

University of Ouagadougou Founded in 1974, the University of Ouagadougou (UO; french: Université de Ouagadougou) is in the area of Dagnöen Nord (pronounced dag-no-en noor) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It was officially renamed in 2015 as l’Université Ouaga 1 Profes ...

. Working as a journalist, he earned a reputation for independence in his reporting. He edited ''Carrefour africain'' and was Director of ''Éditions Sidwaya'' from 1987 to 1990.Malika Groga-Bada
"Burkina Faso : Luc Adolphe Tiao, le joker de Blaise Compaoré"
''Jeune Afrique'', 10 May 2011 .

Political career

Tiao was Secretary-General of the Ministry of Communication from August 1990 to August 1992"Son Excellence Monsieur Beyon Luc Adolphe Tiao, nommé Premier ministre"
Burkinabé Embassy to France web site, 2011 . and press attaché at Burkina Faso's Embassy in France from November 1992 to August 1996. He was an adviser responsible for special duties at the Communication Department of the Prime Minister's Office from August 1996 to May 2001. Subsequently, he was President of the Higher Council for Information from May 2001 to May 2008. He was appointed as Burkina Faso's Ambassador to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

on 2 May 2008, serving in that post until 2011. Tiao was appointed as Prime Minister by President

Blaise Compaoré Blaise Compaoré (born 3 February 1951)''Profiles of People in Power: The World's Government Leaders'' (2003), page 76–77.

on 18 April 2011, following protests by students, military personnel and police. In light of his background and lack of any experience as a government minister, his appointment was deemed surprising. Following the December 2012 parliamentary election, Tiao submitted his resignation on 27 December 2012, and Compaoré reappointed him as Prime Minister on 31 December. The composition of Tiao's new government was announced on 2 January 2013. Amidst violent protests, President

Blaise Compaoré Blaise Compaoré (born 3 February 1951)''Profiles of People in Power: The World's Government Leaders'' (2003), page 76–77.

dissolved the government on 30 October 2014; Compaoré was forced to resign the next day, and the military took power. Subsequently, Tiao went into exile in Ivory Coast. He came back to Burkina Faso in September 2016 and was promptly arrested on 16 September on murder charges due to his alleged role in trying to suppress the protests."Burkina Faso ex-PM detained on charges of killing protesters"
Reuters, 17 September 2016.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiao, Luc-Adolphe 1954 births Burkinabé diplomats Ambassadors of Burkina Faso to France Congress for Democracy and Progress politicians Living people Prime Ministers of Burkina Faso Cheikh Anta Diop University alumni People from Centre-Est Region 21st-century Burkinabé people