Political Career
Hamadou is a member of the Afar ethnic group and was born in Dikhil Region, in the southwest of Djibouti. Prior to Djibouti's independence, he was a member of the Senate of France; he was first elected as a Senator on 26 September 1965, and he was re-elected on 22 September 1974. After Djibouti became independent in June 1977, Hamadou served in the government as Minister of Health. President Hassan Gouled Aptidon then appointed him as Prime Minister on 30 September 1978, and his first government was formed on 2 October 1978; in addition to serving as Prime Minister, Hamadou held the Ports portfolio in that government.
Hamadou was the first candidate on the candidate list of the ruling People's Rally for Progress (RPP) for the District of Djibouti in the December 1992 parliamentary election. Following the election, Hamadou was reappointed as Prime Minister by Gouled on 4 February 1993, with a government composed of 18 ministers (including Hamadou). A peace agreement with the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD), an Afar rebel group, was signed in 1994; Hamadou played an important role in this agreement. A new government that included members of FRUD was formed on 8 June 1995. Hamadou remained Prime Minister in this government and was additionally assigned the development portfolio.
Hamadou was the first candidate on the RPP/FRUD candidate list for the District of Djibouti in the December 1997 parliamentary election. After this election he was again reappointed as Prime Minister, with a 17-member government (including Hamadou), on 28 December 1997. After Gouled was succeeded by Ismail Omar Guelleh in May 1999, Hamadou was retained as Prime Minister.
Read more about this topic: Barkat Gourad Hamadou
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