▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁arrested ▁for ▁trade ▁union ▁activities ▁and ▁sent ▁to ▁M én aka ▁in ▁northern ▁M ali . ▁Sub sequently , ▁he ▁became ▁director - general ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁School ▁of ▁Engineering . ▁He ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁struggle ▁for ▁dem ocracy ▁that ▁cul min ated ▁with ▁the ▁over throw ▁of ▁President ▁M ous sa ▁Tra or é ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁A DE MA , ▁and ▁at ▁its ▁constit utive ▁con gress , ▁held ▁on ▁ 2 5 – 2 6 ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁its ▁second ▁vice - pres ident , ▁while ▁Al pha ▁O umar ▁Kon ar é ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁party ' s ▁president ▁and ▁Mam ad ou ▁Lam ine ▁Tra or é ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁vice - pres ident . ▁ ▁After ▁Kon ar é ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁M ali ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁president ial ▁election , ▁Tra or é ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁Service , ▁Labor , ▁and ▁the ▁Mod er ization ▁of ▁Administration ▁on ▁ 9 ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁government ▁under ▁Kon ar é ' s ▁presiden cy . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁named ▁Minister ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Def ense ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁holding ▁that ▁position ▁until ▁he ▁became ▁Minister ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁on ▁