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Paul Kagame
President of Rwanda
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 March 2000
Prime Minister	Bernard Makuza Pierre Habumuremyi
Preceded by	Pasteur Bizimungu
Personal details
Born	(1957-10-23) 23 October 1957 (age 54) Tambwe, Ruanda-Urundi (now Nyarutovu Village, Buhoro Cell, Ruhango Sector, Ruhango District, Southern Province, Rwanda)
Political party	Rwandan Patriotic Front
Spouse(s)	Jeannette Nyiramongi
Religion	Roman Catholicism[1]

Paul Kagame ( /kəˈɡɑːmeɪ/ kə-GAH-may; born 23 October 1957) is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Rwanda. He rose to prominence as the leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), whose military victory over the incumbent government in July 1994 effectively ended the Rwandan genocide. Under his leadership, Rwanda has been called Africa’s “biggest success story”^[2] and Kagame has become a public advocate of new models for foreign aid designed to help recipients become self-reliant.^[3] However, President Kagame's rule has been criticized for his domestic policies, which have been described as authoritarian. In addition Kagame has been accused of war crimes during Rwanda's invasion of the DR Congo in 1996, and of having led a subsequent proxy war against the DR Congo by arming the CNDP until January 20, 2009.^[4]

Early life[link]

Kagame was born to a Tutsi family in Tambwe, Rwanda-Urundi in October 1957 to Deogratius and Asteria Rutagambwa.^[5] In November 1959, an increasingly restive Hutu population sparked a revolt, eventually resulting in the overthrow of Mwami Kigeri V Ndahindurwa in 1961.^[6] During the 1959 revolt and its aftermath, more than 150,000 people were killed in the fighting, with the Tutsis suffering the greatest losses. Several thousand fled to neighbouring countries including Burundi and Uganda.^[6] In all, some 20,000 Tutsis were killed. In 1960 Kagame left with his family at the age of two^[7] and moved to Uganda with many other Tutsis. In 1962 they settled in the Gahunge refugee camp, Toro, where Kagame spent the rest of his childhood years.^[8] He attended Ntare Secondary School in Uganda.^[9] During much of this time Kagame was a "motivated student" and bore an early fascination with revolutionaries such as Che Guevara.^[7]

Military service[link]

His military career started when he joined Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Army (NRA) and spent years fighting as a guerrilla against the government of Milton Obote in what is commonly known in Uganda as the bush war.^[5]

On 27 July 1985, Milton Obote was ousted in a military coup led by Tito Okello. In 1986 the NRA succeeded in overthrowing Okello and the NRA leader Yoweri Museveni became President of Uganda.

Paul Kagame and U.S. President George W. Bush in the White House.

This same year, Kagame as a Tutsi was instrumental in forming, along with his close friend Fred Rwigema, the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), which was composed mainly of expatriate Rwandan Tutsi soldiers that had also fought with the NRA; the RPF was also based in Uganda.^[10]

In 1986, Kagame became the head of military intelligence in the NRA, and was regarded as one of Museveni's closest allies.^[10] He also joined the official Ugandan military.^[10]

During 1990, Kagame went to Fort Leavenworth where the U.S. Army gave him military training. When the RPF started an invasion of Rwanda and his close friend and RPF co-founder Fred Rwigema was killed under disputed circumstances, the U.S. arranged the return of Kagame to Uganda and thence to take the leadership of the invasion, thus signaling that the U.S. was siding with the RPF against the incumbent Rwandan government.^[10] Broadening this connection, the U.S. and U.K. militaries provided further training and active logistical support to the RPF, which it used to take over power in Rwanda after 1994. After coming to power, Kagame arranged for the RPA to receive further counterinsurgency and combat training from U.S. Special Forces, which was put to use in the 1996–1997 Rwandan-backed military campaign to overthrow the government of neighboring Zaire.^[11][12]

Invasions and assassinations[link]

Kagame with US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama in 2009.

In October 1990, while Kagame was undergoing military training in the U.S., the RPF invaded Rwanda in the struggle for the interests of Rwanda's Tutsi minority group. Only two days into the invasion, Rwigema was murdered, making Kagame the military commander of the RPF.^[10] Despite initial successes, a force of French, Belgian, Rwandan, and Zairean soldiers forced the RPF to retreat. A renewed invasion was attempted in late 1991, but also had limited success.^{[citation needed]}

The invasion increased ethnic tension throughout the region, including in neighbouring Burundi where similar tensions existed. Peace talks between the RPF and the Rwandan government resulted in the Arusha accords, including political participation of the RPF in Rwanda. Despite the agreement, ethnic tensions still flared dangerously.^{[citation needed]}

On 6 April 1994, a plane carrying both the Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down by a surface-to-air missile as it approached the airport at Kanombe. All on board were killed. The deaths immediately sparked the Rwandan Genocide and an estimated 800,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed. The outbreak of genocide ended what vestiges remained of the cease fire. The RPF, under the leadership of Kagame, proceeded to take control of the whole country. Kigali was captured 4 July 1994, bringing the collapse of the government of Jean Kambanda.^[13]

French indictment[link]

Because three French citizens, crew members of the aircraft, died during the crash, an investigation was carried out by French judge Jean-Louis Bruguière, who controversially concluded that the shooting of the plane was ordered by Kagame. In November 2006, Judge Bruguière signed international indictments against nine of President Kagame's senior aides, and accused Kagame of ordering the assassination of the two African presidents. Kagame could not be indicted under French law, because as a head-of-state he had immunity from prosecution. The indictments have not produced any arrests, due to non-cooperation from the Rwandan government, which accused the judge of partiality. The Kagame government countered that the indictment was based on declarations by fugitives and disgruntled former lower-rank RPF members who testified that the RPF was the only organization with the type of missiles that were used in the assassination. It also pointed out that, at the time of the shooting of the plane, the French military was in control of Kigali Airport;^[14] however that point is irrelevant because the plane was shot down on approach to the airport and not from the zone controlled by French forces. The former chief prosecutor for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, Judge Richard Goldstone, argued in the interview that political motivations were at play in the indictment, though this did not negate the potential veracity of the accusations by Judge Bruguière. Judge Goldstone stated that: "Well I don't think that case has been made at all. It's a very political judgement and I don't believe that it's borne out by the evidence. Certainly the witnesses who spoke to Bruguiere allege that those were statements made by President Kagame himself. He is a type of guy that knows how to play with people's emotions. Whether he did or not obviously is a matter in dispute, in hot dispute, but the political judgment it seems to me is another matter."^[15]

The accusations against Kagame were corroborated by several witnesses, including former intelligence RPF members, the most publicly known being Commando Lieutenant Abdul Ruzibiza.^[16] Ruzibiza published a book (Rwanda: L'histoire secrete) and released testimony pertaining to Kagame and the RPF's involvement in the plane downing and massacres;^{[better source needed][17]} however, Ruzibiza subsequently retracted part of his testimony, especially as pertains to Kagame senior aide Rose Kabuye after she was arrested in Germany and extradited to France.^[18] The Association des Avocats de la Defence released a statement backing Judge Bruguière's allegations.^[19][20] Paul Rusesabagina, a Rwandan of mixed Hutu and Tutsi origin, whose role in saving 1,268 civilians was the basis of the Academy Award nominated film Hotel Rwanda (2004), has supported the allegation that Kagame and the RPF were behind the plane downing, and stated that:^[21]

It defies logic why the UN Security Council has never mandated an investigation of this airplane missile attack to establish who was responsible, especially since everyone agrees it was the one incident that touched off the mass killings commonly referred to as the “Rwandan genocide of 1994”.

In a political countereffort, Kagame broke diplomatic relations with France in November 2006 and ordered the formation of a commission of loyal Rwandans that was officially "charged with assembling proof of the involvement of France in the genocide".^[22] The political character of that investigation was further averred when the commission issued its report solely to Kagame in November 2007 and its head, Jean de Dieu Mucyo, stated that the commission would now "wait for President Kagame to declare whether the inquiry was valid."^[22]

In a 2007, interview with BBC, President Kagame said he would co-operate with an impartial inquiry. The BBC concluded that "Whether any judge would want to take on such a task is quite another matter."^[15]

As of 2009, a report commissioned by the Rwandan government concluded the RPF and Kagame were not responsible for the crash of the president's plane. ^[23]

In October 2011 Dr Théogène Rudasingwa, former Secretary General of the RPF stated in a public "confession" that Kagame had personally ordered the assassination and that this remains an "open secret" in RPF veteran circles.

Spanish indictment[link]

In February 2008, Fernando Andreu, a Spanish judge, indicted 40 current or former Rwandan military officers for several counts of genocide and human rights abuses during the Rwandan Genocide.

The judge issued international arrest warrants against the 40, including Gen. James Kabarebe, whom the judge believed to be the chief of staff of Rwanda's military; Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa, Rwanda's ex-ambassador to India; and Lt. Col. Rugumya Gacinya, military attaché at Rwanda's embassy in Washington.

Evidence was presented of crimes allegedly perpetrated by the RPA/RPF in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the period 1990–2000, primarily. This revealed that the RPA/RPF’s hierarchical chain of command headed by Kagame, is responsible for three major and closely interrelated blocks of crime:

1. crimes perpetrated against 9 Spanish victims – missionaries and aid workers - observers of the killings of Hutu inhabitants in both countries
2. crimes against Rwandans and Congolese, against various specific leaders, or systematically carried out as mass murders of civilians
3. crimes of war pillage - the systematic, large-scale plundering of natural resources, especially strategically valuable minerals.^[24][25]

First and Second Congo Wars[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2007)

Kagame was part of the cabinet of President Pasteur Bizimungu (who took the office in the aftermath of the genocide) and was made Vice President of Rwanda and Defense Minister. Bizimungu was also a member of the RPF, and as its military leader, Kagame was widely viewed as the power behind a figurehead, and eventually became President in March 2000.^{[citation needed]}

According to the United Nations Mapping Report, Rwanda attacked Zaïre, masking its invasion with proxy militias. It did so to wipe out Hutu militants and cause a mass return of refugees, and committed acts allegedly tantamount to genocide from July 1996. Tutsi/Banyamulenge armed units, who had left Zaïre for military training with the Rwandan Patriotic Army, along with RPA soldiers, began their operations to infiltrate the Congolese province of South Kivu via Burundi and to destabilize North Kivu via Uganda. The first serious clashes between the FAZ and these infiltrés took place on 31 August 1996 near Uvira in the province of South Kivu. On 18 October, the conflict took on a new turn when an armed movement, the AFDL (Alliance des Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Congo), was officially formed in Kigali, asserting its intention to topple Mobutu Sese Seko. Under the cover the AFDL, whose own troops, weapons, and logistics were supplied by Rwanda, soldiers from the RPA, the UPDF (Uganda People’s Defense Force) and the FAB (Forces Armées Burundaises) entered Zaïre en masse and set about capturing the provinces of North and South Kivu and the Ituri District. During this lightning offensive, units of the AFDL, RPA and FAB attacked and destroyed all the Rwandan and Burundian Hutu refugee camps set up around the towns of Uvira, Bukavu, and Goma. Several hundreds of thousands of Rwandan refugees returned to Rwanda, but hundreds of thousands of others, like the ex-FAR/Interahamwe, fled towards the territories of Walikale (North Kivu) and Shabunda (South Kivu). For several months, they were pursued by AFDL/RPA soldiers, who are alleged to have gone about systematically destroying the makeshift refugee camps and persecuting anyone who came to their aid.”^[26]

In 2001, another United Nations report, on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, specifically pointed to the responsibility and profiteering of Kagame and his associates in the illegal exploitation of natural resources that was facilitated by these exactions, and may have motivated them:

• "On the Rwandan side, most companies with important activities related to the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are owned either by the Government or by individuals very close to the inner circle of President Kagame. Rwanda Metals, for example, is a company involved in coltan dealing. It purchases coltan and exports it out of the continent. The Panel has strong indications that RPF controls Rwanda Metals. In mid-January 2001, some very reliable sources met with the senior management of Rwanda Metals in Kigali. During these discussions, the Director told them that Rwanda Metals was a private company with no relation to the army. He further explained that he was expecting key partners that very morning for discussions. As discussions continued, the so-called partners arrived as planned; however, they were in Rwandan army uniforms and were top officers. This incident confirms accounts from various sources indicating that Rwanda Metals is controlled by RPF. Meanwhile there are also indications that RPA is a shareholder of Grands Lacs Metals, a company also dealing in coltan."^[27]
• "[Kagame']s position in the State apparatus with regard to the exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the continuation of the war has evolved, yet his role has remained pivotal. This role can be situated on three levels: his relations with the Rwandan business community operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, control over the army, and the structures involved in the illegal activities."^[27]
• As a result, the UN report concluded that: "Presidents Kagame and Museveni are on the verge of becoming the godfathers of the illegal exploitation of natural resources and the continuation of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They have indirectly given criminal cartels a unique opportunity to organize and operate in this fragile and sensitive region."^[27]

Presidency[link]

Kagame (right) with left-to-right Joseph Kabila, Thabo Mbeki, and George W. Bush

Paul Kagame became President of Rwanda in March 2000,^[28] after his predecessor, Bizimungu, resigned. Three and a half years later, on 25 August 2003, he won a landslide victory in the first national elections since his government took power in 1994 winning 95.5% of the votes.^[28]

Kagame is highly critical of the United Nations and its role in the 1994 genocide. In March 2004, his public criticism of France for its role in the genocide and its lack of preventative actions caused a diplomatic row.^[29] In November 2006, Rwanda severed all diplomatic ties with France and ordered all its diplomatic staff out of Rwanda within 24 hours following Judge Bruguière issuing warrants accusing nine high-ranking Rwandans of plotting the downing of President Juvénal Habyarimana's airplane in 1994 and also accusing Kagame of having personally ordered the assassination.^[29]

As president, Kagame has also been critical of the West's lack of development aid in Africa. Kagame believes that Western countries keep African products out of the world marketplace. In contrast, he has praised China, saying in a 2009 interview that "the Chinese bring what Africa needs: investment and money for governments and companies."^[30]

Human rights[link]

In June 2006, the International Federation of Human Rights and Human Rights Watch described what they called "serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Rwanda Patriotic Army".^[31]

Kagame at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Earth Made of Glass, a documentary he appeared in about the Rwandan genocide.

According to The Economist, Kagame "allows less political space and press freedom at home than Robert Mugabe does in Zimbabwe", and "[a]nyone who poses the slightest political threat to the regime is dealt with ruthlessly".^[32] In spite of intimidation against opposition journalists, publications - both domestic and foreign - fiercely critical of Kagame are often sold freely in Kigali. Adam Hochschild, in a New York Times book review of Jason Stearns' book "Dancing in the Glory of Monsters," wrote, "[h]ow this media-savvy autocrat has managed to convince so many American journalists, diplomats, and political leaders that he is a great statesman is worth a book in itself."^[33]

The United States government in 2006 described the human rights record of the Kagame government as "mediocre", citing the "disappearances" of political dissidents, as well as arbitrary arrests and acts of violence, torture and murders committed by police. US authorities listed human rights problems including the existence of political prisoners and limited freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion.^[34]

Reporters Without Borders listed Rwanda in 147th place out of 169 for freedom of the press in 2007,^[35] and reported that "Rwandan journalists suffer permanent hostility from their government and surveillance by the security services". It cited cases of journalists being threatened, harassed and arrested for criticising the government. According to Reporters Without Borders, "President Paul Kagame and his government have never accepted that the press should be guaranteed genuine freedom."^[36] In 2010, the BBC reported that a Rwandan website, Umuvugizi (Kinyarwanda for 'the Spokesperson'), was shut down by the government.^[37] In 2011, Kagame took issue with a British journalist on Twitter after the journalist's tweets asserted that Kagame is "despotic."^[38]

Honors and accolades[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2007)

• Kagame was in March 2003 awarded the 2003 Global Leadership Award by the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO). He received the award in recognition of his "commitment and tireless work to address crises, to foster understanding, unity, and peace to benefit all people." YPO regard his role in reconciling the Tutsi and the Hutu differences in Rwanda and in developing a peaceful solution to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a benchmark of great leadership, uncommon inspiration and remarkable achievement.

• In April 2005, Kagame was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor Laws by the University of the Pacific in the United States.
• In September 2005, Kagame was awarded the Andrew Young Medal for Capitalism and Social Progress by Georgia State University in the United States.
• In September 2005, Kagame was awarded the African National Achievement Award by the Africa America Institute in the USA.
• In April 2006, Kagame was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Oklahoma Christian University in the USA.
• In May 2006, Kagame was given the 2006 ICT Africa Award, an award that is designed to recognize and reward organizations and individuals that have demonstrated excellence in promoting the use of ICTs for the overall development of the African continent.
• In September 2006, Rwanda was listed as a Top-10 reformer on the Ease of doing business index by the World Bank.
• July 2007, Kagame won the Best Head Of State in Africa in Support of ICT Award. Kagame won the same award in May 2006, in an event that took place in Kigal.
• In August 2007, Kagame was given the Hands Off Cain Award for his role in ending the death penalty in his country.
• In November 2007, Kagame was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor in Law by the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
• In December 2007, Kagame was given the African Gender Award in Dakar, Senegal for his role in promoting gender equality in Rwanda.
• March 2009, Kagame was awarded with “The Distinction of the Grand Cordon in the Most Venerable Order of the Knighthood of Pioneers” by Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.The highest honour in Liberian was given to Kagame in recognition of his exemplary leadership and exceptional contribution to the promotion of women’s rights.
• In June 2009, Kagame was awarded the Children's Champion Award by the US Fund for UNICEF for Promoting Children's Rights
• In September 2009, Kagame was awarded the International Peace Medal from Saddleback Church for his support and role in the P.E.A.C.E. plan.
• In September 2009, Kagame honoured with the Clinton Global Citizen Award in recognition of his leadership in public service that has improved the lives of people of Rwanda.
• November 2009, Kagame was presented with the ‘Most Innovative People Award for Economic Innovation’ at the Lebanon2020 Summit.
• May 2010, Kagame was awarded 'Lifetime Leadership Award for Development and Equality' by Rwandan Women in recognition of his efforts in developing the nation and promoting equality amongst Rwandans.
• May 2010, Kagame was awarded the 2010 Rwanda Convention Association (RCA) Award of Excellence in recognition of his role in steering Rwanda towards a knowledge-based economy and promotion of the private sector.
• On 5 June 2010, Kagame was awarded the prestigious 'Energy Globe Award' on the occasion of World Environment Day celebrated in Kinigi, Rwanda.
• On 5 July 2010, Rwanda International Network Association (RINA) awarded Kagame for his continuous efforts in the promotion of Education.
• On 27 September 2010, British Magazine New Statesman included Paul Kagame in the list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010" on 49th place.^[39]
• On 19 November 2010, Kagame was presented the “Grand Croix – Ordre de merit du Benin” the country’s highest national award.

The decoration is awarded exclusively to personalities of the rank of Head of State in recognition of outstanding achievement or to express esteem.

• 1 June 2011: President Kagame was awarded the Chello Foundation Humanitarian Award 2011 for his “outstanding leadership of the Republic of Rwanda since 1994”
• 1 September 2011: THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded President Paul Kagame with the 2010 IOC award for 'Inspiring Young People' around the world
• On 7 November 2011, AERG (Association des Etudiants Rescapes du Genocide) awarded Kagame "... in recognition of his efforts and courage to stop the Genocide as he led the Rwanda Patriotic Army,", at the cerebration of AERG 15th Anniversary

See also[link]

• Military of Rwanda
• History of Rwanda
• Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV), 2008.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Paul Kagame

• Official website
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Paul Kagame on Charlie Rose
• Paul Kagame at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Paul Kagame in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Paul Kagame collected news and commentary at The New York Times

v t e Presidents of Rwanda Dominique Mbonyumutwa Grégoire Kayibanda Juvénal Habyarimana Théodore Sindikubwabo (interim) Pasteur Bizimungu Paul Kagame

کریستین امان پور Christiane Amanpour
Amanpour at the 2011 Time 100 gala
Born	(1958-01-12) January 12, 1958 (age 54) London, England
Education	University of Rhode Island
Occupation	ABC Global Affairs Anchor (2010–present) CNN Anchor and Chief International Correspondent (1992–2010, 2011-present)
Years active	1983–present
Notable credit(s)	Amanpour (CNN International) Anchor (2009–2010, 2012–present) This Week (ABC) Anchor (2010–2011) 60 Minutes (CBS) Reporter (1996–2005)
Spouse	James Rubin (1998–present)
Children	Darius Rubin

Christiane Amanpour, CBE (ⁱ/krɪstʃiˈɑːn ɑːmənˈpʊər-/; Persian: کریستین امان‌پور‎; born January 12, 1958) is the Global Affairs Anchor of ABC News. She is the host of CNN International's nightly interview program Amanpour, the network's Chief International Correspondent and runs the website Amanpour.com for the network's digital platform. She is a board member of the International Women's Media Foundation .^[1]

Early years[link]

Raised in Tehran, Amanpour was born in London, England^[2] to Iranian father Mohammad, a Persian airline executive, and British mother, Patricia.^{[3][dead link]}

After completing her primary education in Iran, she was sent by her parents to boarding school in England when she was 11. She attended New Hall School, an all-girls school located in Chelmsford, Essex, England. Christiane and her family returned to England not long after the Islamic Revolution began. She has stressed that they were not forced to leave the country, but were actually returning to England when Iraq invaded Iran. The family eventually remained in England, finding it difficult to return to Iran.^[4]

After her graduation from New Hall, Amanpour moved to the United States to study journalism at the University of Rhode Island. During her time there, she worked in the news department at WBRU-FM in Providence, Rhode Island. She also worked for NBC affiliate WJAR in Providence, Rhode Island, as an electronic graphics designer.^[5] In 1983, Amanpour graduated from the university summa cum laude with a bachelor of journalism degree.^[6]

CNN[link]

In 1983, she was hired by CNN on the foreign desk in Atlanta, Georgia, as an entry-level desk assistant. During her early years as a correspondent, Amanpour was given her first major assignment covering the Iran-Iraq War, which led to her being transferred in 1986 to Eastern Europe to report on the fall of European communism.^[7] In 1989, she was assigned to work in Frankfurt, Germany, where she reported on the democratic revolutions sweeping Eastern Europe at the time. Through this position, she was able to move up in the company and by 1990 served as a correspondent for CNN's New York bureau.

Following Iraq's occupation of Kuwait in 1990, Amanpour's reports of the Persian Gulf War brought her wide notice while also taking the network to a new level of news coverage. Thereafter, she reported from the Bosnian war and other conflict zones. Because of her emotional delivery from Sarajevo during the Siege of Sarajevo, viewers and critics questioned her professional objectivity, claiming that many of her reports were unjustified and favoured the Bosnian Muslims, to which she replied, "There are some situations one simply cannot be neutral about, because when you are neutral you are an accomplice. Objectivity doesn't mean treating all sides equally. It means giving each side a hearing."^[8] Amanpour gained a reputation for being fearless during the Gulf and Bosnian wars from parachuting into conflict areas.^[9]

From 1992 to 2010, Amanpour was CNN's chief international correspondent as well as the anchor of Amanpour, a daily CNN interview program that aired from 2009–2010. Amanpour has reported on major crises from many of the world's hotspots, including Iraq, Afghanistan, the Palestinian territories, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, Somalia, Rwanda, and the Balkans and from the United States during Hurricane Katrina. She has secured exclusive interviews with world leaders from the Middle East to Europe to Africa and beyond, including Iranian Presidents Mohammad Khatami and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as well as the presidents of Afghanistan, Sudan, and Syria, among others.^{[citation needed]} After 9/11, she was the first international correspondent to interview British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

From 1996 to 2005, she was contracted by 60 Minutes creator Don Hewitt to file four to five in-depth international news reports a year as a special contributor. These reports garnered her a Peabody Award in 1998 (she had earlier been awarded one in 1993). Hewitt's successor Jeff Fager was not a fan of her work and terminated her contract.

She has had many memorable moments in her career, one of them being a telephone interview with Yasser Arafat during the siege on his compound in March 2002, during which Arafat hung up on her.^[10]

Amanpour at the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos

Bosnian War reporting[link]

On 22 December 1992, during the Bosnian War, Amanpour was reporting from Kiseljak, not far from Sarajevo. Kiseljak was in Croat hands, undamaged, and ostensibly well supplied with necessities. Amanpour reported that, "While people in Sarajevo are dying from starvation, the Serbs are living [in Kiseljak] in plenty," a report that was subsequently criticized by some analysts as spreading "misinformation" and "beautiful lies."[21]

On October 9, 1994, Stephen Kinzer of the New York Times criticized Amanpour's coverage, in general, of the Bosnian War. Kinzer quoted a colleague’s description of Amanpour as she reported on a terrorist bombing in the Markale marketplace of the Bosnian city of Sarajevo:

"[Christiane Amanpour] was sitting in Belgrade when that marketplace massacre happened, and she went on the air to say that the Serbs had probably done it. There was no way she could have known that. She was assuming an omniscience which no journalist has."^[11]

In January 2004, prosecutors in the trial against Stanislav Galić, a Serb general in the siege of Sarajevo, introduced into evidence a report including the testimony of ammunition expert Berko Zečević. Working with two colleagues, Zečević's investigation revealed a total of six possible locations from which the shell in the first Markale massacre could have been fired, of which five were under VRS and one under ARBiH control. The ARBiH site in question was visible to UNPROFOR observers at the time, who reported that no shell was fired from that position. Zečević further reported that certain components of the projectile could only have been produced in one of two places, both of which were under the control of the Army of Republika Srpska. The court would eventually find Galić guilty of all the five shellings prosecutors had charged him with, including Markale's.^[12]

Amanpour has responded to the criticism leveled on her reporting from the war in the former Yugoslavia for "lack of neutrality," stating:

"Some people accused me of being pro-Muslim in Bosnia, but I realised that our job is to give all sides an equal hearing, but in cases of genocide you can't just be neutral. You can't just say, 'Well, this little boy was shot in the head and killed in besieged Sarajevo and that guy over there did it, but maybe he was upset because he had an argument with his wife.' No, there is no equality there, and we had to tell the truth."^[13]

The segment labelled "Democratic Reporting" has been eliminated because it only cited conservative sources critical of Ms. Amanpour or anyone responsible for reporting on issues in ways that conflict with the conservative ideology or narrative.

ABC News[link]

On March 18, 2010, Amanpour announced she would leave CNN for ABC News, where she would anchor This Week. She said, “I’m thrilled to be joining the incredible team at ABC News. Being asked to anchor This Week in the superb tradition started by David Brinkley is a tremendous and rare honor, and I look forward to discussing the great domestic and international issues of the day. I leave CNN with the utmost respect, love, and admiration for the company and everyone who works here. This has been my family and shared endeavor for the past 27 years, and I am forever grateful and proud of all that we have accomplished.”^[14] She hosted her first broadcast on August 1, 2010.

During her first two months as host, the ratings for This Week reached their lowest point since 2003.^[15] On February 28, 2011, she interviewed Muammar Gaddafi and his sons Saif al-Islam and Al-Saadi al-Gaddafi.^[16][17]

On December 13, 2011, ABC announced Amanpour would be leaving her post as anchor of ABC News' This Week on January 8, 2012, and returning to CNN International, where she had previously worked for 27 years, and maintaining a reporting role at ABC News.^[18]

Return to CNN[link]

A day later on December 14, 2011, in statements by ABC and CNN, it was announced that, in a "unique arrangement," Amanpour would begin hosting a program on CNN International in 2012, while continuing at ABC News as a global affairs anchor.^[19]

It was later revealed that in the spring of 2012, CNN International would refresh its lineup, putting the interview show Amanpour back on air.^[20] On-air promotions said she would return to CNN International on April 16. Her 30-minute New York-recorded show - to be screened twice an evening - would mean that the US parent network's Piers Morgan Tonight interview show would be 'bumped' out of its 9:00pm (Central European Time) slot to midnight (CET).^[21]

Personal life[link]

Amanpour is a member of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) along with many other notable journalists.

Amanpour is married to James Rubin, a former Assistant Secretary of State and spokesman for the US State Department during the Clinton administration and currently an informal adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama. Their son, Darius John Rubin, was born in 2000. The family resides in New York City.

She shared a house on the east side of Providence with John F. Kennedy, Jr. and some of his friends while he was attending Brown University and she was attending the University of Rhode Island.^[22]

Amanpour speaks English and Persian fluently.^{[citation needed]}

Screen and media appearances[link]

Amanpour appeared in the Gilmore Girls as herself in the television series finale. Throughout the series, Amanpour was an inspiration to aspiring journalist Rory Gilmore. In July 2009 she appeared in a Harper's Bazaar magazine article entitled "Christiane Amanpour Gets a High-Fashion Makeover".^[23]

Amanpour played herself in newscasts in the films Iron Man 2 and Pink Panther 2.

Trivia[link]

• On June 20, 2009, Amanpour was a guest host for Larry King Live, broadcast live from the CNN studio in London. She interviewed her husband James Rubin about the turmoil in Iran. She told the viewers: "Quick disclaimer, that Mr. Rubin is also my husband."

Awards and recognition[link]

• 1992, Livingston Award for Young Journalists
• 1993, George Polk Award for Television Reporting
• 1993, George Foster Peabody awards^[24]
• 1994, Woman of the Year, New York Chapter of "Women in Cable"
• 1994, Courage in Journalism Award, International Women's Media Foundation^[25]
• 1996, George Polk Award for Television Reporting
• 1997, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, Emory University
• 1997, Nymphe d’Honneur at the Monte Carlo Television Festival
• 1998, George Foster Peabody awards^[26]
• 2002, Edward R. Murrow Award for Distinguished Achievement in Broadcast Journalism
• 2002, Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism, at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government^[27]
• 2005, International Emmy, International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
• 2006, Honorary citizen, city of Sarajevo
• 2006, Honorary doctorate degree from the University of Michigan for her contributions to journalism
• 2007, CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours^[28]
• 2007, Persian Woman of the Year
• 2008 The Fourth Estate Award (National Press Club)
• 2010 Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences^[29]
• 2010, Honorary doctorate of humane letters degree, Northwestern University
• 2010, Honorary doctorate from Georgia State University for her contributions to journalism
• 2010, Honorary member of the graduating class of 2010 of Harvard College
• 2011, Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism from Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
• 2012, Honorary doctorate of humane letters, Amherst College
• Director on the board of the Committee to Protect Journalists
• Fellow, Society of Professional Journalists
• Nine Emmy news/documentary awards
• Major role in two DuPont awards given to CNN
• Major role in a Golden CableACE award given to CNN
• Honorary Board Member of the Daniel Pearl Foundation
• Sigma Chi Award (SDX) for her reports from Goma, Zaire
• Forbes magazine named her one of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women"
• WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival Gold Award
• POP Award, by "Cable Positive"
• Honorary degree presented by Smith College

See also[link]

• List of famous Iranian women

References[link]

External links[link]

• Amanpour.com official website
• Christiane Amanpour on Twitter
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Christiane Amanpour on Charlie Rose
• Christiane Amanpour at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Christiane Amanpour in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Christiane Amanpour collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Christiane Amanpour: career in pictures, The Guardian
• 2000 Murrow Awards Ceremony Speech, 2000
• Christiane Amanpour's Interview on NPR, December 3, 2008
• Christiane Amanpour, at the Height of the Iranian Election Crisis - Interview by Lesley Stahl, June 23, 2009
• Christiane Amanpour's Class Day speech at Harvard University, May 26, 2010