Keita, Ibrahim Boubacar

Malian politician, prime minister 1994–2000. Keita, who held the post of secretary of external relations of his left-of-centre party, Alliance pour la Démocratie au Mali (ADEMA), served as minister of foreign affairs 1993–94, and was named prime minister in February 1994. He resigned from office in February 2000, and was considered to be a possible successor to President Konare when his tenure expired in 2002. The Malian media had been calling for Keita's resignation for several months on the grounds that he had not done enough to revitalize the economy. He was succeeded by Mande Sidibe, a former International Monetary Fund (IMF) official.

Keita believed strongly in his country's mission of democracy, hoping it could become a democratic role model for other African countries. After the overthrow of the military regime of President Moussa Traore in 1991, the West African nation's constitution was changed to allow for multiparty democracy in 1992. Keita stressed the importance of Mali's upholding its principles on human rights and a free press. His government did not therefore hesitate, despite meagre economic resources, to become involved in the West African intervention force which went to Sierra Leone in October 1999, and to push for a political solution, following widespread political troubles and rebel violence in the country.