Alioune Dramé

Alioune Dramé (born c. 1921[1] – died 1 March 1977) was a Guinean economist and politician. He also served as an ambassador to Ivory Coast.[1]

Career

[edit]

Dramé served in the first council of the Politburo of the First Republic of Guinea as Minister of Economy and Finance from 1957.[2] In this role, he signed the first bank notes of the republic,[3] and established the Guinean franc in 1960.[4] Drame was made responsible for the plans for economic development of Guinea for the periods 1960-1963, 1964–1971 and 1973-1979.[5]

United States Relations

[edit]

On April 24, 1975, Dramé delivered a letter from the president of Guinea, Ahmed Sékou Touré, to Gerald Ford addressing Guinea's food shortage and requesting assistance from the United States.[6] After the 1976 signing of PL 480 by the American government, Dramé returned to the United States on April 27, 1976 with a letter from the Guinean president to start the agreement between the Guinean and United States governments. During this agreement, Dramé led a team of Guinean representatives to negotiate the Title I and Title II food provided by PL 480.[6]

Arrest

[edit]

Dramé was Minister of Planning when he was arrested on the night of 18/19 July 1976 and imprisoned at Camp Boiro.[7] At a press conference on 2 August 1976, Ahmed Sékou Touré announced the arrest in Conakry of Dramé and several other alleged plotters, including Telli Diallo, Alpha Oumar Barry and Lamine Kouyaté.[8] On 15 February 1977, Dramé was placed on the "black diet" while in Camp Boiro, which meant he was given no food or water until his death.[9] He died on 1 March 1977.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Thomas O'Toole, Janice E. Baker (2005). Historical dictionary of Guinea. Scarecrow Press. p. 96. ISBN 0-8108-4634-9.
  2. ^ Djibril Kassomba Camara (2005). Le redressement national en République de Guinée: les effets pervers. Editions L'Harmattan. p. 53ff. ISBN 2-7475-9735-0.
  3. ^ Ardo Ousmane Bâ (1986). Camp Boiro. Editions L'Harmattan. p. 212. ISBN 2-85802-649-1.
  4. ^ Camara, Mohamed Saliou; O'Toole, Thomas; Baker, Janice (7 November 2013). Historical Dictionary of Guinea (4th ed.). Scarecrow Press. p. 126. ISBN 9780810878235. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  5. ^ Jean-Pierre Chrétien, Gérard Prunier (2003). Les ethnies ont une histoire. KARTHALA Editions. p. 398. ISBN 2-84586-389-6.
  6. ^ a b "Guinea, Republic of - President Ahmed Sekou Toure" (PDF). fordmuseumlibrary.gov. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  7. ^ Maurice Jeanjean (2004). Sékou Touré: un totalitarisme africain. Editions L'Harmattan. p. 174. ISBN 2-7475-7657-4.
  8. ^ Alpha Ousmane Barry (2003). Parole futée, peuple dupé: discours & révolution chez Sékou Touré. Editions L'Harmattan. p. 184. ISBN 2-7475-3612-2.
  9. ^ Camara, Mohamed Saliou; O'Toole, Thomas; Baker, Janice (7 November 2013). Historical Dictionary of Guinea (4th ed.). Scarecrow Press. p. 121. ISBN 9780810878235. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  10. ^ Alsény René Gomez (2010). La Guinée peut-elle être changée?. Editions L'Harmattan. p. 94. ISBN 978-2-296-11963-5.