Guinean politician (1956–2020)
Sékou Kourouma (1956[1] – 18 April 2020) was a Guinean politician, political aide and advisor to Guinean President Alpha Condé. He held the position of chief of staff to Condé, a high-ranking post officially known as the Secretary General of the Government, until his death from COVID-19.[2][3][4] Kourouma, who was also a former Minister of Public Works, was a relative of Condé.[2][3][4]
Kourouma died from complications of COVID-19 at age 65 on Saturday 18 April 2020 at Donka Hospital in Conakry.[2][3][4][5] Guinea's Minister of Health, Colonel Remy Lamah, confirmed Kourouma's death that evening, while the Office of the President issued statements and tweets the next day.[2][4] Kourouma's death was the latest in a string of high-profile deaths of officials during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guinea.[2][5] In addition to Kourouma, the head of Guinea's electoral commission, Amadou Salif Kebe, died of COVID-19 on 17 April 2020, just 24 hours earlier.[2][3][4][5] Victor Traoré, the director of Guinea's Interpol bureau, also died from COVID-19 in April.[2][4]
Kourouma was also the second Chief of Staff to a West African president to die from COVID-19 in April 2020. Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, died from COVID-19 on 17 April 2020, the day before Kourouma's death.[6]
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