Henri Pouzère (27 December 1938 – 25 February 2018) was a Central African politician and lawyer. He was appointed to the government of the Central African Republic as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in 2013.
Early life Pouzère was born on 27 December 1938 in a village near Ippy, Yétomane. He graduated from Collège Émile Gentil in 1960. Subsequently, he continued his education at Lycée Savorgnan de Brazza in Brazzaville through a Ministry of Education scholarship and finished it in 1961. Pouzère then studied political science at University of Sorbonne-Paris I. Afterward, he lived in Gabon in the mid-1980s and joined the bar association in Libreville.
Political career Pouzère ran in both the September 1999 and March 2005 presidential elections as an independent candidate,Elections in the Central African Republic, African Elections Database. receiving 4.19% of the vote in 1999"Rapport de la Mission d'Observation des Élections Présidentielles du 19 septembre 1999" , democratie.francophonie.org . and 2.10% in 2005."Rapport de la Mission d'Observation des Élections Présidentielle et Législatives des 13 mars et 8 mai 2005 en République Centrafricaine" , democratie.francophonie.org . In the concurrent 2005 parliamentary election, he also ran for a seat in the National Assembly from Ippy,Results of 2005 parliamentary first round and list of candidates qualifying for the second round , fodem.org . but was defeated by Yvonne Ndjapou.Results of 2005 parliamentary second round , batir-rca.org .
As of 2007, Pouzère was coordinator of the Union of the Active Forces of the Nation (UFVN) opposition coalition."L'Union des Forces Vives de la Nation récuse le choix du pasteur Isaac Zokoé" , Agence Centrafrique Presse, February 3, 2007 ."Centrafrique/Politique : Ouverture du 3ème congrès ordinaire du Mlpc", Agence Centrafrique Presse, June 21, 2007 .
Following a rebellion in December 2012, a national unity government was appointed on 3 February 2013, composed of supporters of President François Bozizé, the opposition, and rebels. Pouzère was appointed to the government as Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and New Technologies."Centrafrique : Le gouvernement d'union nationale est formé" , Xinhua, 4 February 2013 . After Bozizé was ousted by the rebels in March 2013, Pouzère was retained as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in the next government, appointed on 31 March 2013."Centrafrique : Nicolas Tiangaye présente son gouvernement d'union nationale", Jeune Afrique, 1 April 2013 ."La Centrafrique pilotée par un gouvernement d'union nationale", Agence Ecofin, 1 April 2013 .
Death Pouzère died in Saint-Denis on 25 February 2018. His funeral was held on 19 March 2018 in Bangui, attended by Faustin-Archange Touadéra.
Pouzère played a key role within the opposition group (UFVN), and he ran for president on many occasions. The incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who participated in Pouzère’s formal funeral ceremony in 2018, will run for re-election in the coming 2025 election cycle.
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