President Omar Bongo of Gabon
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Since the early 1970s Bongo has imposed a policy of "Gabonization," in which the government demands state participation in foreign-based companies operating in Gabon, enforces the employment of indigenous Gabonese in managerial positions, and negotiates advantageous terms for the exploitation of Gabon's natural resources.
In the 1973 elections for the national assembly and the presidency, Bongo was the sole candidate for president.
Bongo is a member of the Bateke tribe, which along with the Eshira and Bapounou are other dominant tribal groups in Gabon.
Throughout his tenure as president, Bongo has sought to maintain a delicate ethnic balance in his administration.
Bongo was again reelected for a seven-year term in 1979, receiving 99.
Despite the pressure, Bongo remained committed to one-party rule.
In November of 1986 Bongo was reelected by 99.
In his opening address President Bongo said that anarchy would impede economic development and drive away foreign investors.
The very next day, May 23rd, a vocal critic of Bongo was found dead in a hotel, reportedly murdered by poison.
Youngest child of a big Batéké family of farmers, Omar Bongo was born on the 30th of December 1935 in Lewaï, a town in the province of Haut-Ogooué in the south-east of Gabon.
Before his entry into the political arena, Bongo was married to Josephine Kama.
Omar Bongo has children from his first and second marriage.
Like all presidents, Bongo has his men of trust.
Unfortunately, Bongo has chosen to concentrate on selling Gabon's natural resources to the highest bidder, and pocketing the profits while keeping his people in an under-developed state.
Since 1967, Omar Bongo is the president of Gabon.
Bongo knew how to manage these people to live together in the same land without any civil war.
One of the main projects of Bongo was the “Transgabonais.
Because of his actions, his power and his experience, bongo is respected in Africa.
In Africa also, Bongo is well respected.
That sent US to conclude that the image of Bongo is unavoidable in Africa.
In addition, beyond Africa, Omar Bongo has good relationship.
Bongo knows that his place is due to the support of France.
Bongo is a close friend of Jacques Chirac, the president of France.
President Bongo is the Vice President of the International Parliament for Safety and Peace, an intergovernmental organization based in Italy (see and.
Bongo was chief of staff and defense.
In 1993, Omar Bongo was re-elected in multiparty presidential elections.
Bongo had 51% of the vote, but many voters have threatened strikes.
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President Bongo is also Grand Chancellor of the International Parliament for Safety and PeaceInternational Parliament for Safety and Peace The International Parliament for Safety and Peace , also known as International States Parliament, is an international.
Biography The youngest in a family of twelve children, Bongo was born on 30 December 1935 in Lewai, a town of the Haut-Ogooué province in southeastern GabonGabon 'Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a country in west central Africa.
Allegations of corruptionBongo is one of the wealthiest heads of state in the world, with this attributed primarily from the benefits of oil revenue and alleged corruption.
ece", "(*)")PersonalBongo is currently married to Edith Lucie Sassou-Nguesso.
Together they have a son, Alain Bernard BongoAli-Ben Bongo Ali-Ben Bongo Ondimba born Alain Bernard Bongo is the Defence Minister of Gabon.
We believe that, as long as Bongo is in power, Gabon should be placed under a severe economic quarantine that would force the Bongo regime to use Gabons resources for national development rather than personal benefit.
We believe that Omar Bongo should leave power if peace is to be preserved in Gabon: Bongo is not the garantor of peace in Gabon; on the contrary, it is his presence that represents a clear and present danger to the continued stability of Gabon as internal discontent is doomed to grow to devastating proportions due to the lack of vision of the Bongo regime.
Born Albert-Bernard in the village of Lewaï in southeastern Gabon, Bongo was educated in Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo, and served in the French air force from 1958 to 1960, the year Gabon became independent of French colonial rule.
Bongo took office as vice president in 1967.
Though Bongo was relatively permissive of dissent within the party, he was less tolerant of outside agitators, as evidenced by his 1982 decision to impose harsh sentences on members of a nonviolent opposition protest group.
Bongo has been accused of financial extravagance, including driving the country into debt in preparation for the 1977 Organization of African Unity (OAU) conference held in Gabon; constructing the massive Trans-Gabon rail system; and building a presidential palace at an estimated cost of $30 million.
Bongo was reelected in 1993, 1998, and 2005.
Bongo was reelected in 1993 and 1998 in elections generally regarded as unfair by observers.
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Africa analyst Kissy Agyeman of the London-based research group Global Insight explains President Bongo has often used oil profits for political purposes.
Bongo has managed to maintain the peace in the country particularly because he has kept those who would be opponents and brought them into the presidential fold, he is known to sweet talk opponents with offers of money and so forth, and because of the immense wealth that Gabon has, he has been able to deliver.
Although President Bongo built a railroad cross-country which has eased access to other natural resources, and designated 13 national parks which has aided tourism, many say too much money was spent creating government positions, or strengthening political ties with the former colonial power France.
Bongo has been mostly muted during his time in power.
Bongo has already stated he will be running again in the scheduled 2012 presidential election.
President Omar Bongo is the head of state for Gabon.
Bongo was reelected in 1993 and 1998 in elections generally regarded as unfair by observers; he triumphed over a divided opposition again in 2005.
The late Togolese president, Gnassingbe EyademaPresidential elections are due in December 2005 and Omar Bongo has said nothing so far about throwing in the towel and handing over to a successor.
Similar set-upMany think Ali Bongo is also likely to follow in his father's footsteps.
Under Gabon's constitution, which Bongo has modified several times, power would pass to the head of the senate if the president died in office.
But Bongo was re-elected in 1998 with 67 percent of the vote.
Ali Bongo is obviously one possible contender.
Bongo was reelected in 1993 and 1998 in elections generally regarded as unfair by observers; he triumphed.
1990, the then one-party regime of Omar Bongo was one of the first in Africa to.
IMF to regional efforts that President Bongo has undertaken to bring peace and stability.
Bongo has been in president since Dec 2, 1967, taking over upon the death of Leon M'Ba, the country's only other head of state since independence in 1960.
President Bongo is also Grand Chancellor of the International Parliament for Safety and Peace, which is an International Organisation with volunteer diplomatic service.
The youngest in a family of twelve children, Bongo was born on 30 December 1935 in Lewai, a town of the Haut-Ogooué province in southeastern Gabon near the border with the Republic of the Congo.
In 1964, during the only coup attempt in Gabon's history, M'ba was kidnapped and Bongo was held in a military camp in Libreville, though the alliance was placed back in power 2 days later.
In the presidential election held on March 19, 1967, M'ba was re-elected as President and Bongo was elected alongside him as Vice-President.
Bongo has given himself the image of a peacemaker, playing an important role in attempts to solve the crises in the Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Bongo is one of the wealthiest heads of state in the world, with this attributed primarily from the benefits of oil revenue and alleged corruption.
Bongo met with Bush in Oval Office 10 months later in visit that White House and State Dept describe as routine; government of Gabon is regularly accused by US of human rights abuses; there is no evidence in public record that Abramoff played.
Prostitution Trial Upsets France-Gabon TiesBy HOWARD W.
Group Threatens Violence Over Gabon VoteGabon's opposition coalition, the Convention of Forces for Change, threatened violence today if President Omar Bongo is proclaimed outright winner of Sunday's presidential elections.
Omar Bongo has been president of Gabon for the past 40 years, and was outdone only by Togos late President Gnassingbe Eyadema in terms of longevity of leadership.
Bongo was born 1935 in Lewai, a town of the Haut-Ogooué province in southeastern Gabon near the border with the Republic of Congo.
Bongo is currently married to Edith Lucie Sassou-Nguesso.
President Bongo has more than 30 children - though not all of them with his wife.
Bongo was married to Patience Dabany whom he married when she was 15 years old in the late 1950s.
During a military coup attempt in 1964, Mba was kidnapped and Bongo was held in custody in a military camp in Libreville.
Having remained faithful to Mba when the military tried to seize power, Bongo was rewarded with the vice-presidency in 1967.
When Mba died after a short illness in the same year, Bongo was the obvious successor.
President Bongo and Edith Lucie Bongo Ondimba, First Lady of Gabon dancing Now in his 70s, Bongo is showing no signs of giving up.
On the international stage, the Bongo has cultivated an image as a peacemaker, playing a pivotal role in attempts to solve the crises in the Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Photo Courtesy of the United States White HousePresident Bongo is one of the wealthiest heads of state in the world, with this attributed primarily from the benefits of oil revenue and alleged corruption.
More Information Click hereBongo is claimed to have an $800 million palace with a night club, a banquet hall for 3,000 persons, a bathtub large enough to swim several strokes in, and a panel with buttons that can make lights dim, walls recede, rooms turn, etc.
Unlike the Clampetts, however, Bongo knows exactly how much he stands to gain from the nations riches and has deftly engineered a governmental system that enriches those around him and all but eliminates anyone not closely connected with the Bongo family or their close compatriots.