In the 1800s Cassam Uteem's ancestors migrated from the historic city ofAzamgarh, Uttar Pradesh in India. He is married to Zohra Uteem and they have two children Reza Uteem and Oomar Uteem.
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 Militant Movement of Mauritius. 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. Cassam Uteem was elected member of the Mauritian Legislative Assembly in 1976. He was re-elected as 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.” On 15 February 2002 he resigned from his function, after refusing to sign a controversial anti-terrorism bill, namely PoTA, into the constitution. His term would have ended in June 2002. He was replaced as president by Angidi Chettiar. On 10 November 2014, Mr. Cassam was appointed United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy and Head of the United Nations Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi In November 2014 Mr. Cassam was elected President of International Movement ATD Fourth World. Uteem was a candidate for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission in early 2008, but withdrew prior to the vote. 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. 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.
