Ousmane Issoufi Maïga

Who is Ousmane Issoufi Maïga?

Ousmane Issoufi Maïga was the Prime Minister of Mali from 2004 to 2007. Issoufi had previously held several ministerial posts in previous governments.

Issoufi was born near Gao, in the north of Mali. He studied economics at the University of Kiev and then at the American University in Washington, DC, where he graduated with a degree in banking and finance. He has worked for the World Bank and in the French Ministry of Finance, where he was Assistant Director of the Caisse autonome d’amortissement.

Following the ouster of Moussa Traoré in March 1991, Maïga became Minister in charge of the State Contrôle Général in the transitional government. He later became Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance before being appointed Minister of Youth and Sports on June 23, 2001. In this position, he organised Mali's hosting of the African Nations Cup in 2002.

After the election of Amadou Toumani Touré as President, Issoufi became Minister of the Economy and Finance in the government named on June 14, 2002 under Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed ag Hamani. Subsequently, in the government named on October 16, 2002, he became Minister of Equipment and Transport.