Henri Konan Bedie, the former president of Ivory Coast, passed away at the age of 89. A dominant figure in the nation’s politics for a generation, Bedie served as Ivory Coast’s second president following its independence from France in 1960. His rule lasted from 1993 until he was removed from power in 1999 due to economic challenges and corruption allegations, brought about by a military coup.
Bedie was notably associated with the concept of “ivoirite,” which centered around Ivorian identity. This idea fueled tensions between those identifying as native to the south and east, and foreign workers from neighboring countries who had long settled in the northern region.
Remaining active in politics until the end, Bedie even contested in the 2020 elections at the age of 86, but was defeated by his long-standing political rival, President Alassane Ouattara.
Born on May 5, 1934, in Dadiekro, located 300 kilometers east of Abidjan, the commercial capital of Ivory Coast, Bedie was an accomplished student. He was among 100 promising students selected in the early 1950s to study in France. There, he earned a doctorate in economics from Poitiers University. The circumstances surrounding Bedie’s passing and the exact cause of death are not yet known, and his spokesperson could not be reached for comment.
