Dranvesh at 00:12, 9 December 2025

2025-12-09T00:12:15Z

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{{Short description|Former President of Mauritius (born 1941)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name = Cassam Uteem
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|list=[[Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean|GCSK]]}}
| image = Cassam Uteem, 2021.jpg
| order = [[President of Mauritius]]
| primeminister = [[Anerood Jugnauth]] [[Navin Ramgoolam]]
| vicepresident = [[Rabindranath Ghurburrun]] [[Angidi Chettiar]]
| term_start = 30 June 1992
| term_end = 15 February 2002
| predecessor = [[Veerasamy Ringadoo]]
| successor = [[Angidi Chettiar]] (acting)

| order2 = Minister of Employment, Social Security and National Solidarity
| primeminister2 = Anerood Jugnauth
| term_start2 = 15 June 1982
| term_end2 = 22 March 1983
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 = Diwakur Bundhun

| order3 = {{unbulleted list|[[National Assembly (Mauritius)|Member of Parliament]]|for [[Constituencies of Mauritius|Port Louis Maritime and Port Louis East]]}}
| term_start3 = 26 December 1976
| term_end3 = June 1992
| predecessor3 = Elias Oozeerally
| successor3 = Amanullah Essoof

| party = [[Mauritian Militant Movement]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1941|3|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Port Louis]], [[British Mauritius]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Zohra Jahangeer Uteem
| children = [[Reza Uteem]] Dilshaad Uteem Oomar Uteem
| caption = Uteem in 2021
}}
'''Cassam Uteem''' {{post-nominals|list=[[Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean|GCSK]]}} ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|کاسم یوٹیم}}}}; born 22 March 1941)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clubmadrid.org/cmadrid/index.php?id%3D741 |title=Cassam Uteem |accessdate=22 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526011340/http://www.clubmadrid.org/cmadrid/index.php?id=741 |archivedate=26 May 2008}}</ref> is a [[Mauritian]] [[political figure]] who served as the second [[president of Mauritius]] from 30 June 1992 to 15 February 2002. He is the longest serving president of Mauritius.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius |url=https://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/commissioner/cassam-uteem |website=Global Commission on Drugs |accessdate=2 June 2020}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Cassam Uteem attended the secondary school [[Royal College Port Louis]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jaddoo |first1=Jameela |title=Anniversary of RCPL: 90 years |url=https://defimedia.info/anniversary-royal-college-port-louis-90-years-excelling-education |accessdate=1 March 2019|agency=Le Defimedia |publisher=Defimedia.info}}</ref> Then he travelled to France and studied at [[Paris Diderot University|Paris VII University]] and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Art and a master's degree in Psychology. He also holds a Certificate in Social Work from the University of Mauritius and a "Diplôme d’État Français d’Assistant des services sociaux".<ref>{{cite web |title=Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius |url=https://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/commissioner/cassam-uteem |website=Global Commission on Drugs |accessdate=2 June 2020}}</ref>

==Ancestry and family life==
In the 1800s Cassam Uteem's ancestors migrated from the historic city of [[Azamgarh|Azamgarh's Village Dubawan, Uttar Pradesh]] in India.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Uteem |first1=Cassam |title=Tribute to a renowned statesman |url=https://www.lemauricien.com/le-mauricien/tribute-to-a-renowned-statesman/227539/ |accessdate=27 August 2018|agency=Le Mauricien |publisher=lemauricien.com}}</ref>

He married Zohra Jahangeer and they have 3 children: [[Muhammad Uteem|Reza Uteem]], Dilshaad Uteem and Oomar Uteem. However, Oomar Uteem died in 2007. They also have 10 grandchildren.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ma vie sans Oomar |url=https://www.5plus.mu/node/11163 |accessdate=10 December 2007|agency=5Plus Dimanche |publisher=5plus.mu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Duval |first1=Caroline |title=Cassam Uteem : Démontrer qu'il y a une vie après la présidence 28-Sep-2018 |url=https://defimedia.info/cassam-uteem-demontrer-quil-y-une-vie-apres-la-presidence |publisher=Defimedia |access-date=13 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Savripène |first1=Marie-Annick |title=Facettes cachées de Cassam Uteem: Que Maurice devienne un modèle du vivre-ensemble 12-March-2018 |url=https://lexpress.mu/article/327819/facettes-cachees-decassam-uteem-que-maurice-devienne-un-modele-vivre-ensemble |publisher=L'Express |access-date=13 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kamanah-Murday |first1=Amy |title=En hommage à un cardiologue parti trop tôt 13-March-2011 |url=https://www.5plus.mu/node/4701 |publisher=5Plus |access-date=13 April 2024}}</ref>

==Political career==
In the 1960s, Cassam Uteem was a youth leader and social worker who was actively involved in the local community during colonial times that preceded the 1968 Independence of Mauritius. He became a leading member of leftist political party the [[Mauritian Militant Movement]] (MMM). In 1969 he was elected Councillor of the City of Port Louis at the Municipal Elections, a position in which he remained for several years before becoming city's Lord Mayor in 1986.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius |url=https://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/commissioner/cassam-uteem |website=Global Commission on Drugs |accessdate=2 June 2020}}</ref>

Cassam Uteem was elected a member of the Mauritian Legislative Assembly in 1976. He was re-elected as a member of Parliament in 1982, 1983, 1987 and 1991. In 1982 and 1983, he held the portfolio of Minister of Employment, Social Security and National Solidarity. In 1990, he became [[Deputy Prime Minister]] and Minister of Industry and Industrial Technology. When he formed part of the Opposition in Parliament he was "Opposition Whip" and Chairman of the "Public Accounts Committee."<ref>{{cite web |title=Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius |url=https://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/commissioner/cassam-uteem |website=Global Commission on Drugs |accessdate=2 June 2020}}</ref>

Following the establishment of a republic on 12 March 1992, the last [[Governor-General of Mauritius|Governor-General]], [[Veerasamy Ringadoo|Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo]], became the first President.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/NewsUK1992UKEnglish/Mar%2012%201992%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2364278%2C%20UK%20%28en%29/page/n19/mode/2up Mauritius casts monarchy adrift], ''[[The Times]]'', 12 March 1992</ref> However, this was under an interim arrangement, and Cassam Uteem was nominated to serve as President for a five-year term with effect from 30 June of that year.

On 15 February 2002, he resigned from office, after refusing to sign a controversial anti-terrorism bill, namely PoTA,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.issafrica.org/cdct/mainpages/pdf/Terrorism/Legislation/Mauritius/Mauritius%20Notes%20on%20AntiTerror%20Laws.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=7 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714161434/http://www.issafrica.org/cdct/mainpages/pdf/Terrorism/Legislation/Mauritius/Mauritius%20Notes%20on%20AntiTerror%20Laws.pdf |archivedate=14 July 2014 }}</ref> into the constitution. His term would have ended in June 2002.<ref name="bbc1">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1823076.stm|title=Mauritius president resigns|author=BBC News|author-link=BBC News|access-date=26 June 2007| date=15 February 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> He was replaced as president by [[Angidi Chettiar]].<ref name="bbc2">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1829355.stm|title=Terror law 'signed' in Mauritius|author=BBC News|author-link=BBC News|access-date=26 June 2007| date=19 February 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref>

On 10 November 2014, Mr. Uteem was appointed United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy and Head of the United Nations Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.un.org/press/en/2014/sga1522.doc.htm|title = Secretary-General Appoints Cassam Uteem of Mauritius as Special Envoy |publisher=[[United Nations]]}}</ref>

In November 2014, Uteem was elected President of [[International Movement ATD Fourth World]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.atd-fourthworld.org/mr-cassam-uteem-named-president-of/|title= Mr. Cassam Uteem Named President of ATD Fourth World International|publisher= [[ATD Fourth World]]|access-date=27 July 2016|archive-date=13 May 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200513042830/https://www.atd-fourthworld.org/mr-cassam-uteem-named-president-of/|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Uteem was a candidate for the position of [[Chairperson of the African Union Commission]] in early 2008, but withdrew prior to the vote.<ref>Abera W. Kidan, [http://allafrica.com/stories/200801310468.html "Africa: Two Candidates Withdraw Bids for AU Top Post"], ''The Daily Monitor'', Addis Ababa (allAfrica.com), 31 January 2008.</ref>

Cassam Uteem is a Member of the [[Global Leadership Foundation]], an organization which works to support democratic leadership, prevent and resolve conflict through mediation and promote [[good governance]] in the form of democratic institutions, open markets, human rights and the rule of law.{{cn|date=January 2023}} It does so by making available, discreetly and in confidence, the experience of former leaders to today's national leaders. It is a not-for-profit organization composed of former heads of government, senior governmental and international organization officials who work closely with Heads of Government on governance-related issues of concern to them.{{cn|date=January 2023}}

Uteem appeared in the [[John Pilger]] documentary ''[[Stealing a Nation]]'', which is about the [[Chagos Archipelago sovereignty dispute]].{{cn|date=January 2023}}<ref>{{cite web |title=TV-Canada filmera le sort des Chagossiens 26-Nov-2004 |url=https://lexpress.mu/article/tv-canada-filmera-le-sort-des-chagossiens |publisher=L'Express |access-date=13 April 2024}}</ref>

==Awards and decorations==

*{{flag|Mauritius}}:
**[[File:Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean - GCSK, GOSK, CSK (Mauritius) - ribbon bar.png|70px]] Grand Commander of the [[Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean]] (1993)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{Succession box
|title = [[List of Presidents of Mauritius|President of Mauritius]]
|before = Sir [[Veerasamy Ringadoo]]
|after = [[Angidi Chettiar]] Acting
|years = 1992 – 2002
}}
{{s-end}}

{{MauritiusPres}}
{{Deputy Prime Ministers of Mauritius}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uteem, Cassam}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Notable alumni of Royal College Port Louis]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Port Louis District]]
[[Category:Paris Diderot University alumni]]
[[Category:Deputy prime ministers of Mauritius]]
[[Category:Presidents of Mauritius]]
[[Category:Mauritian Muslims]]
[[Category:Mauritian politicians of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Grand Commanders of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean]]
[[Category:Mauritian Militant Movement politicians]]

Cassam Uteem - Revision history

Dranvesh at 00:12, 9 December 2025