Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Gurib-Fakim in 2018
6th President of Mauritius
In office
5 June 2015 – 23 March 2018
Prime MinisterAnerood Jugnauth
Pravind Jugnauth
Vice PresidentMonique Ohsan Bellepeau
Barlen Vyapoory
Preceded byMonique Ohsan Bellepeau (acting)
Succeeded byBarlen Vyapoory (acting)
Personal details
Born (1959-10-17) 17 October 1959 (age 65)
Surinam, British Mauritius
Political partyIndependent
Spouse
Anwar Fakim
(m. 1988)
Children2
Parent(s)Hassenjee Gurib
Firdaus Durgauhee
Residence(s)Plaine Magnien, Mauritius
(hometown)
Alma materUniversity of Surrey
University of Exeter
Profession
  • Politician
  • biodiversity scientist

Dr. Bibi Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim (Mauritian Creole pronunciation: [bibi amina fiːədos ɡəʁib fakim]) GCSK[1][2] (born 17 October 1959)[3] is a Mauritian politician and biodiversity scientist who served as the sixth president of Mauritius from 2015 to 2018. In December 2014, she was selected to be the presidential candidate of the Alliance Lepep. After Kailash Purryag resigned on 29 May 2015, both Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth and Leader of the Opposition Paul Berenger positively welcomed her nomination, which was unanimously approved in a vote in the National Assembly.[4]

Gurib-Fakim is the first woman elected as president of the country and is the third woman to have served as Head of State following Queen Elizabeth II and Monique Ohsan Bellepeau, who preceded her in this office and was her first Vice President. She served as a 2019 keynote speaker of Cambridge University's conference "Africa Together: Which Way Forward?" hosted by the African Society of Cambridge University.[5]

  1. ^ "Prime Minister's Office - National Day Honours 2008". Republic of Mauritius.
  2. ^ "Her Excellency Dr. (Mrs) Bibi Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim, G.C.S.K., C.S.K President of the Republic of Mauritius". The President of the Republic. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Ameenah Gurib-Fakim : " Je suis une emmerdeuse, c'est ça ? "". 31 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Ameenah Gurib-Fakim: l'encombrante présidente". L'Express. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Keynote Speakers". Africa Together Conference. Archived from the original on 28 May 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.