Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Dr. Bibi Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim (Mauritian Creole pronunciation: [bibi amina fiːədos ɡəʁib fakim]) GCSK (born 17 October 1959) 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.
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim GCSK | |
|---|---|
Gurib-Fakim in 2018 | |
| 6th President of Mauritius | |
| In office 5 June 2015 – 23 March 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Anerood Jugnauth Pravind Jugnauth |
| Vice President | Monique Ohsan Bellepeau Barlen Vyapoory |
| Preceded by | Monique Ohsan Bellepeau (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Barlen Vyapoory (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 October 1959 Surinam, British Mauritius |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse |
Anwar Fakim (m. 1988) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Hassenjee Gurib Firdaus Durgauhee |
| Residence(s) | Plaine Magnien, Mauritius (hometown) |
| Alma mater | University of Surrey University of Exeter |
| Profession |
|
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.