Sékou Kourouma Explained
Sékou Kourouma (1956[1] – 18 April 2020) was a Guinean politician, political aide and advisor to Guinean President Alpha Condé. He held the position of chief of staff to Condé, a high-ranking post officially known as the Secretary General of the Government, until his death from COVID-19.[2] Kourouma, who was also a former Minister of Public Works, was a relative of Condé.[3] [4] [2]
Kourouma died from complications of COVID-19 at age 65 on Saturday 18 April 2020 at Donka Hospital in Conakry.[3] [4] [2] [5] Guinea's Minister of Health, Colonel Remy Lamah, confirmed Kourouma's death that evening, while the Office of the President issued statements and tweets the next day.[3] [2] Kourouma's death was the latest in a string of high-profile deaths of officials during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guinea.[3] [5] In addition to Kourouma, the head of Guinea's electoral commission, Amadou Salif Kebe, died of COVID-19 on 17 April 2020, just 24 hours earlier.[3] [4] [2] [5] Victor Traoré, the director of Guinea's Interpol bureau, also died from COVID-19 in April.[3] [2]
Kourouma was also the second Chief of Staff to a West African president to die from COVID-19 in April 2020. Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, died from COVID-19 on 17 April 2020, the day before Kourouma's death.[6]
Notes and References
- Web site: Sekou. Sanoh. Conakry : mort du Covid-19, le ministre Sékou Kourouma a été inhumé ce lundi. Guinéenews. 2020-04-20.
- News: Guinée: Mort de Sékou Kourouma, secrétaire général du gouvernement, des suites du Covid-19 . . 2020-04-20 . 2020-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200424000127/https://information.tv5monde.com/afrique/guinee-mort-de-sekou-kourouma-secretaire-general-du-gouvernement-des-suites-du-covid-19 . 2020-04-24 . live.
- News: Africa's top coronavirus deaths: Guinea president's right-hand man succumbs . . 2020-04-20 . 2020-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200421052446/https://www.africanews.com/2020/04/20/africa-s-prominent-coronavirus-deaths/ . 2020-04-21 . live.
- News: Youssouf . Boundou Sylla . Guinée: Sekou Kourouma secrétaire général du gouvernement emporté par le Coronavirus . Guineenews.org . 2020-04-18 . 2020-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200420053034/https://www.guineenews.org/sekou-kourouma-secretaire-general-du-gouvernement-emporte-par-le-coronavirus/ . 2020-04-20 . live.
- News: Urgent: le ministre Sékou Kourouma est mort du Coronavirus à Donka . AfricaGuineene.com . 2020-04-18 . 2020-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200419004155/https://www.africaguinee.com/articles/2020/04/18/urgent-le-ministre-sekou-kourouma-est-mort-du-coronavirus-donka . 2020-04-19 . live.
- Web site: Buhari's Chief Of Staff Abba Kyari Dies. . 18 April 2020 . 24 April 2020.