Henri Konan Bédié

**Aimé Henri Konan Bédié** (5 May 1934 – 1 August 2023) be Ivorian politician. He be President for Côte d'Ivoire from 1993 go 1999, den before that he be President for Democratic Party of Ivory Coast – African Democratic Rally (PDCI–RDA). Before he turn president, he be member den president for National Assembly of Ivory Coast. He try win anoda presidential term for de 2020 presidential election but e no succeed.

## Early life
Aimé Henri Konan Bédié born for Dadiékro, Daoukro Department, on 5 May 1934. He go school for France. Bédié marry de former Henriette Koizan Bomo for 1957. Dem get four kiddies.

## Career
Afta he study for France, he turn Côte d'Ivoire ein first ambassador go United States plus Canada afta de independence for 1960, den from 1966 go 1977, he serve for government as Minister of Economy plus Finance. As he dey serve as Finance Minister, Bédié turn de first Chairman for IMF plus World Bank demma joint Development Committee, where he hold dat position from 1974 go 1976. He be Special Advisor to de International Finance Corporation under de World Bank Group from 1978 go 1980.

Insyd 1980, Bédié win seat for National Assembly of Ivory Coast, den dem elect am as President of de National Assembly for December 1980. He win dat position again for 1985 den 1990.

## Presidency (1993–1999)
As President for National Assembly, Bédié be de first person for de line of succession to long-time President Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Few hours after Houphouët-Boigny ein death on 7 December 1993, Bédié announce for state television say he dey take over de presidency. Small power struggle come happen between Bédié and Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara, but Bédié win am, den Ouattara resign as Prime Minister on 9 December. Later for April 1994, dem elect Bédié as President for de PDCI. As de Constitution talk, he serve as acting president for de rest of Houphouët-Boigny ein seventh term.

As President, Bédié try make national stability dey, but people accuse am say ein government dey do political repression plus serious level of corruption. For de October 1995 presidential election, dem change de electoral code make e say any presidential candidate for be person wey dem born from two Ivorian parents den also wey e reside for de country for five years before de election. Dem believe say dis change target Ouattara, sake of say since 1990, he dey live for de United States as deputy managing director for de International Monetary Fund, plus dem dey talk say ein poppie be Burkinabe. De two main opposition parties—Ouattara ein Rally of de Republicans (RDR) den de Ivorian Popular Front (FPI)—decide say dem no go participate for de election. So Bédié win de election with 96% of de vote.

Dem overthrow Bédié for military coup on 24 December 1999, after he no gree de demands wey some soldiers bring on 23 December; one of de demands be say make dem release some members of de RDR. Retired general Robert Guéï come take over as president. Bédié run go French military base before he lef Côte d'Ivoire with helicopter on 26 December go Togo plus some of ein family people. As he land for de airport for Lomé, Togolese President Gnassingbé Eyadéma welcome am.

## Post-presidency
Bédié lef Togo on 3 January 2000 go Paris. Early 2000, PDCI talk say dem go do congress to choose new leadership, but Bédié talk say dis one be "putsch". But still, de party decide make Bédié still hold de leadership.

Insyd early June 2000, dem issue international arrest warrant for Bédié plus Niamien N'Goran, wey serve as Finance Minister under am, say dem chop public money. Bédié talk for French TV say he no dey fear say dem go carry am go back Ivory Coast go face trial under government wey he call illegal, as he believe say de French law go protect am. Bédié register as candidate for October 2000 presidential election, but Emile Constant Bombet, wey be ein former Interior Minister, beat am for de PDCI nomination in August. De Constitutional Court come stop both of dem from running. So on 10 October, Bédié talk make dem boycott de election. 

On 23 June 2001, Laurent Gbagbo wey dem elect as President for de 2000 election meet Bédié insyd Paris, beg am make he come back Ivory Coast. Bédié later return on 15 October 2001. Few days after, dem postpone de 11th Ordinary Congress of de PDCI indefinitely, sake of ein request.

Bédié talk for one national reconciliation forum on 12 November 2001. He blame de country ein political wahala on de December 1999 coup, den he beg all Ivorian politicians make dem condemn de coup. He talk say de nationalistic idea dem dey call *Ivoirité* wey dem promote during ein time as president be attempt to support "cultural identity", no be say e be way to sideline anybody for politics. But people wey criticize *Ivoirité* talk say e divide people, dey xenophobic, den say e target Ouattara wey dem talk say ein poppie be Burkinabé. Bédié no gree dis kind criticism. When dem finally do de PDCI Congress for April 2002, Bédié beat Laurent Dona Fologo for de party leadership; he get 82% of de votes.

Bédié later spend one more year for France before he come back Ivory Coast on 11 September 2005. As he return, he talk say President Gbagbo no for stay office after ein term go end for October 2005, den say make dem put one transitional government.

Insyd one interview wey he do plus Agence France Presse on 20 May 2007, Bédié talk say he go be de PDCI ein candidate for de next presidential election, wey dem dey expect say go happen for 2008.

Bédié talk for one rally for Dabou on 22 September 2007, where he talk say de country need one "shock treatment" to make things normal again, promise say he go fix de economy, den he blast Gbagbo hard.

Insyd June 2020, Bédié announce say he go contest for de October presidential election under de Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire. He come third, wey he get 1.68% of de vote.

Bédié die on 1 August 2023 for one private hospital for Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He be 89 years old.

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