Former Guinean Prime Minister Sidya Toure Dies in Paris at 81

Sidya Toure, a former prime minister of Guinea and longtime opposition leader, has died in Paris at the age of 81, according to sources close to his family who spoke to AFP.

Toure had been receiving treatment at the American Hospital of Paris for about two weeks after falling ill in Abidjan, where he had lived since leaving Guinea after the September 2021 military coup. The family sources said he died on Friday. No cause of death was provided.

Political career

Born in 1945 in Ivory Coast, Toure spent part of his professional career there in economic and financial administration before entering Guinea’s political leadership.

President Lansana Conte appointed him prime minister in July 1996. He remained in the position until March 1999, during a period associated with administrative and economic reforms and efforts to improve Guinea’s ties with international financial institutions.

After leaving government, Toure became head of the Union of Republican Forces in 2000. He later emerged as a prominent opponent of Conte and successive Guinean administrations. He stood as the UFR’s presidential candidate in 2010 and 2015, losing both contests.

The UFR was among 40 political parties dissolved in March during a wider crackdown on civil liberties. Toure had been leading the party from exile in Ivory Coast.

Tributes from Guinean leaders

News of Toure’s death prompted tributes from former and current Guinean political figures.

Cellou Dalein Diallo described Toure as “a friend and companion in the struggle” in a statement posted on Facebook. Diallo said the two shared a vision of transforming Guinea “into a prosperous economy governed by the principles of democracy and the rule of law.”

Former president Alpha Conde said it was “deeply regrettable that a man who gave so much to his country should have endured the ordeal of exile at the end of his life.”

Amadou Oury Bah remembered Toure as a “pragmatic reformer” and “a prominent figure in Guinea’s political life for three decades,” in a post on X.

Toure’s political career spanned senior government service, opposition leadership and years in exile. His death closes the chapter on a figure who remained active in Guinea’s political debate despite leaving the country after the 2021 coup.