Mohamed Ben Omar | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Employment, Labor and Social Protection | |
| In office 27 April 2017 – 3 May 2020 | |
| President | Mahamadou Issoufou |
| Prime Minister | Brigi Rafini |
| Preceded by | Yahouza Sadissou |
| Succeeded by | TBD |
| Minister of Higher Education | |
| In office 15 April 2016[1] – April 2017 | |
| President | Mahamadou Issoufou |
| Prime Minister | Brigi Rafini |
| Preceded by | Asmane Abdou[1] |
| Succeeded by | ? |
| Fourth Vice-President of theNational Assembly of the 6th Republic | |
| In office March 2011 – April 2016 | |
| Fourth Vice-President of theNational Assembly of the 4th Republic | |
| In office 14 November 2009 – 18 February 2010 | |
| Minister of Communications | |
| In office 2007–2009 | |
| President | Mamadou Tandja |
| Prime Minister | Seyni Oumarou |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1965-01-01)1 January 1965 |
| Died | 3 May 2020(2020-05-03) (aged 55) |
| Political party | Nigerien Social Democratic Party (2015–2020) Rally for Democracy and Progress (before 2015) |
| Profession | Teacher Politician |
Mohamed Ben Omar (1 January 1965 – 3 May 2020) was a Nigerien educator and politician. Omar served as a government minister in several cabinets, most recently as Minister of Employment, Labor and Social Protection from April 2017 until his death on 3 May 2020. Omar also founded theNigerien Social Democratic Party (PSD) in 2015.[2]
Mohamed Ben Omar was born on 1 January 1965 inTesker,Niger, located in the country'sZinder Region.[2][3]
From 2000 to 2004, Omar was a professor ofgeography at the Lycée Franco-arabe LFA de Niamey.
From 2004 to 2007, he was a minister who was responsible for relations among higher-learning institutions. He served asNiger's Minister of Communication from 2007 to 2009, and was simultaneously a spokesperson for the government.[4] Omar supported a constitutional amendment to let then-PresidentMamadou Tandja extend his second term in office by three years, but Tandja was overthrown by the military in February 2010 during the2010 Nigerien coup d'état.[3]
From 14 November 2009 to 18 February 2010, Omar was the Fourth Vice-President of theNational Assembly of the 6th Republic. From March 2011 to April 2016, he was Fourth Vice-President of the National Assembly of the 7th Republic.[5]
From April 15, 2016,[1] to April 2017, Omar served as Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.[1][6] Most recently, Omar served as Minister of Employment, Labor and Social Protection from 27 April 2017 until his death on 3 May 2020.[7]
Additionally, Mohamed Ben Omar served President of theNigerien Social Democratic Party (PSD), which he founded in 2015.[2][3] Omar allied the PSD withPresidentMahamadou Issoufou'sNigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism party.[3] Prior to establishing the PDS, Omar was a member of theRally for Democracy and Progress (RDP).[3][2]
Omar died on 3 May 2020 atNational Hospital inNiamey at the age of 55.[3][8] On 5 May 2020,Télé Sahel, the national television broadcaster of Niger, announced that Mohamed Ben Omar had died as a result ofCOVID-19.[2][3][9] His Social Democratic Party (PSD) also confirmed that Omar suffered from COVID-19 viaWhatsApp.[2][3] Omar was buried in a cemetery in Niamey.[10]
Omar died shortly after the death of another prominent Nigerien politician fromCOVID-19 during theCOVID-19 pandemic in Niger,Mahamane Jean Padonou, a2016 presidential candidate who became a special advisor to President Mahamadou Issoufou.[10]