Edem Kodjo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edem Kodjo
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 4th Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity | |
| In office July 21, 1978 – June 12, 1983 |
|
| Preceded by | William Eteki |
| Succeeded by | Peter Onu |
| 3rd Prime Minister of Togo | |
| In office April 23, 1994 – August 20, 1996 |
|
| President | Gnassingbé Eyadéma |
| Preceded by | Joseph Kokou Koffigoh |
| Succeeded by | Kwassi Klutse |
| In office June 9, 2005 – September 20, 2006 |
|
| President | Faure Gnassingbé |
| Preceded by | Koffi Sama |
| Succeeded by | Yawovi Agboyibo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 23, 1938 Sokodé, Tchaoudjo, French Togoland |
| Died | April 11, 2020 (aged 81) Paris, France |
| Political party | UDT |
| Profession | Administrator, teacher, writer, publisher |
Édouard Kodjovi "Edem" Kodjo (May 23, 1938 – April 11, 2020) was an important politician and diplomat from Togo. He served as the Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) from 1978 to 1983. Later, in Togo, he became a key leader for groups that opposed the government.
He was the Prime Minister of Togo twice. His first term was from 1994 to 1996. His second term was from 2005 to 2006. Kodjo also led a political party called the Patriotic Pan-African Convergence (CPP). He passed away in Paris in 2020.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Edem Kodjo was born on May 23, 1938, in Sokodé, which was then part of French Togoland. He went to secondary school in Ghana, at West Africa Secondary School. After that, he continued his studies in France.
Political Career
Starting Out
After finishing his education in France, Kodjo worked as an administrator for a French broadcasting company. In 1967, he returned to Togo. President Gnassingbé Eyadéma appointed him as the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance.
Kodjo helped create the Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party in 1969. This party became the ruling party in Togo. He also wrote a book called the "Green Book." This book explained the ideas behind the RPT's one-party rule. He stopped being the RPT's Secretary-General in 1971.
From 1973 to 1977, Kodjo served as the Minister of Finance. He was then the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1976 to 1978.
Leading the Organisation of African Unity
In July 1978, Kodjo was chosen to be the Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). This was a big role for five years. During his time, a major challenge for the OAU was the status of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). This group wanted independence for a territory called Spanish Sahara.
Kodjo allowed the SADR to become a member of the OAU in 1982. This decision caused a big disagreement among African countries. Some countries supported Morocco, which also claimed the territory. This led to a serious crisis within the OAU. Many member states stopped attending OAU meetings for a while.
Life After the OAU
After leaving the OAU in 1983, Kodjo lived in France. He taught at the Sorbonne and wrote for a magazine called Jeune Afrique. He also started his own magazine, Afrique 2000. In 1985, he published a book called Africa Tomorrow. It was later translated into English.
The 1990s in Togo
In 1991, Kodjo returned to Togo. He started a new political party called the Togolese Union for Democracy (UTD). This party was part of the opposition. In 1993, he was chosen as a candidate for the presidential election. However, he decided to withdraw from the election. He and other opposition leaders felt the election might not be fair.
Kodjo worked with other opposition leaders to push for fair parliamentary elections in 1994. His party, the UTD, won some seats in the National Assembly. President Eyadéma then asked Kodjo to become Prime Minister. He took office on April 25, 1994.
His government included members from the RPT and other smaller parties. Kodjo served as Prime Minister until August 1996. He resigned after the RPT gained a stronger majority in parliament.
In 1998, Kodjo decided not to run in the presidential election. He believed it was important for the opposition parties to unite. He supported another opposition leader, Gilchrist Olympio.
The 2000s and Beyond
Kodjo later became the leader of a new party, the Patriotic Pan-African Convergence (CPP). He ran as the CPP's candidate in the 2003 presidential election. He criticized President Eyadéma during the campaign. Kodjo finished fifth in the election, and he said the results were not accurate.
After the 2005 presidential election, which was also disputed, Faure Gnassingbé became president. Gnassingbé chose Kodjo to be Prime Minister again in June 2005. Kodjo took office on June 9. He served in this role until September 2006. After that, he was appointed as a Minister of State to the Presidency.
In the 2007 parliamentary election, Kodjo ran for a seat in the National Assembly. However, his party did not win any seats.
In 2009, Kodjo announced he was stepping back from daily politics. He wanted to make way for younger leaders. He also said he would not run in the 2010 presidential election. He focused on Pan-Africanism, which means working to solve problems across Africa together. He also acted as a special envoy for La Francophonie. He helped mediate a political crisis in Madagascar in 2009.
In 2016, he served as a mediator for the African Union. He helped resolve a dispute in the Democratic Republic of the Congo about the timing of their next election.
Death
Edem Kodjo passed away on April 11, 2020, in Paris, France. He died from COVID-19. Togo's Foreign Minister, Robert Dussey, honored him as a "brilliant academic."
See also
- Prime Ministers of Togo
