Mohamed Akotey is a Nigerien politician of Ifoghas Tuareg heritage and former rebel leader.
Mohamed Akotey | |
|---|---|
| Born | ~1967 Tidene, Niger |
| Nationality | Ifoghas Tuareg from Niger |
| Education | University of Niamey Sorbonne University |
| Occupation(s) | Leader of Temoust Liberation Front (1995) Minister of Environment of Niger (2007) Chairman of board of directors of Imouraren SA (2008-?) |
| Relatives | Mano Dayak (uncle) |
Biography edit
Akotey was born around 1967 in the village of Tidene, just north of Agadez.[1] He studied geography in Niamey, and later left to study archaeology at Sorbonne University.[2]
On December 15, 1995, his uncle Mano Dayak, the head of Temoust Liberation Front, died in a plane accident during the Tuareg rebellion.[1] Akotey was urged by his family to lead the Coordination of Armed Resistance, a coalition of anti-government Tuareg groups led by Dayak that included the TLF.[1] Unlike Dayak, however, Akotey joined government negotiations and made amends with Rhissa Ag Boula, another Tuareg leader who had a rivalry with Dayak.[1]
Akotey was appointed Nigerien Minister of the Environment and Fight Against Desertification in 2007 by Mamadou Tandja.[3]
In 2008, Akotey resigned from his post to become chairman of the board of directors of Imouraren SA, which controlled the Imouraren mine.[1] In 2010, Salou Djibo entrusted Akotey with securing the release of the Arlit hostages kidnapped on September 16, 2010.[1] This role continued under the Issoufou administration. Akotey helped release the hostages on October 27, 2013, after mediating with jihadist leader Ibrahim Ag Inawalen.[4] After the release of the Arlit hostages, Akotey negotiated the release of Serge Lazarevic, who was kidnapped in Mali in 2012.[2]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f "Niger : Mohamed Akotey, profession négociateur – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-05.
- ^ a b "Mohamed Akotey, l'homme dans l'ombre de la libération de Lazarevic". Europe 1 (in French). 2014-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
- ^ Guichaoua, Yvan (February 26, 2010). "Circumstantial Alliances and Loose Loyalties in Rebellion Making: The Case of Tuareg Insurgency in Northern Niger (2007-2009)". MICROCON Research. SSRN 1559196. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "Libération des otages d'Arlit: Mohamed Akotey réfute les propos d'Ahmada Ag Bibi". RFI (in French). 2017-02-04. Retrieved 2023-12-05.