Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda was appointed Prime Minister of Gabon when he was educated and close to President Ali Bongo Odimba. Minister of Budget and then defense earlier, she would now have the task of reviving the country’s economy, weakened by the crisis linked to Covid-19.
She is the first woman to hold this position in Gabon. Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda was appointed Prime Minister on July 16 by Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba. At the age of 56, she replaces Julien Nkoghe Bekalé, who has been head of government since January 2019.
“By decree of the President of the Republic, the following Prime Minister, Head of Government, Mrs Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda is appointed”, announced the presidency in a press release. Ali Bongo loaded it“to form the new government”, add the text.
“This appointment surprised the entire political class of the country,” comments Ismaël Obiang Nze, France’s 24 correspondent in Libreville, Gabon’s capital. “But she is not an unknown in the political seraglio of the country,” he adds. His name was already circulating for the 2019 premiere, but Julien Nkoghe Bekalé had been preferred to him. This time, while Gabon is struggling with a socio-economic crisis linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, this technocrat, close to Ali Bongo Odimaba,has become apparent.
An economist to revive the country
Obviously: for his skills in economics and public finance in the first place. This economist through education, a degree from the Gabonese Institute of Economics and Finance with a focus on public finances, began his career as CEO of the Economy and Deputy Director General of the Gabonese Housing Bank in the early 2000s.
She then took over the government in 2012 as Minister of Budget, Public Accounts and Civil Service during her first term as Head of State. as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. In Central Africa, which had registered 6,112 cases and 46 deaths on 15 July, the distribution of drinking water and meals has been a real headache as many business leaders fear bankruptcy after inclusion.
Its “priority” mission will be to secure the economic recovery and social support needed by the global crisis linked to Covid-19, “the presidential office said in a press release.” The state lost hundreds of billions of CFAs during the health crisis. “This crisis should occupy the Prime Minister as soon as he takes office,” said Ismaël Obiang Nze.
Former mayor of Libreville
Her solid experience as an elected official in the field must also have played in her favor, for it was above all as an official in Libreville that she made an impression. “As mayor, she has created a reputation as a woman of character. She has achieved remarkable results there,” recalls Ismaël Obiang Nzé.
In 2013 came this Mpongwè [peuple du Congo], from Libreville, is elected to the City Council in 3e districts of the capital under the label of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG, with power) – and on the list of patience Dabany, the mother of Ali Bongo Ondimba. Since 2014, she has been elected mayor of the capital, a first since 1956.
At the head of Libreville, a city that concentrates almost a third of Gabon’s population, Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda has led to many reforms, in particular to clean up the municipality’s finances and leave a surplus of almost 27 billion francs on departure. CFA [41 millions d’euros].
A close friend of Bongo
In January 2019, the City Council found the government as prime minister, head of national defense. An appointment that came less than three weeks after the coup d’etat of some soldiers who for a few hours had taken hold of public radio and television.
Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda therefore claims to be the trusted person the president can count on when times are troubled. However, this disturbance comes at a time when the opposition and civil society are publicly questioning the state of health of Ali Bongo, elected head of Gabon almost eleven years ago by succeeding his father, Omar Bongo Ondimba, but was physically weakened by a stroke that struck him in October 2018. .
With AFP
