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Everything We Know about Gabon’s First Female Prime Minister, Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda
President of The Central African state of Gabon, Ali Bongo, has appointed former Budget Minister and Libreville’s first female mayor, Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda as the country’s first female Prime Minister, succeeding Julien Nkoghe Bekale, who stepped down a few days ago.
Ali Bongo said in a statement:
Today I appointed Ms. Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda as Prime Minister. For the first time in the history of #Gabon, a woman will hold this office. I thank her predecessor, @Pm_JulienNkoghe, which fulfilled his mission with loyalty and efficiency.
J'ai nommé ce jour au poste de premier ministre Mme Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda.
Pour la première fois dans l'Histoire du #Gabon, une femme occupera cette fonction.
Je remercie son prédécesseur, @Pm_JulienNkoghe, qui a rempli avec loyauté et efficacité sa mission. pic.twitter.com/vI5vQewHat— Ali Bongo Ondimba (@PresidentABO) July 16, 2020
Ossouka Raponda will be ensuring Gabon’s economic relaunch and necessary social support in light of the world crisis linked to COVID-19. She will take on two major challenges: declining oil production and prices, which have weighed on growth in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters reports.
- Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda is 56 years old, and a Gabonese citizen. She is a member of the ruling party, Mpongwe.
- She has a degree in Economics from the Gabonese Institute of Economy and Finance.
- She began her career as the Director-General of Economy and Deputy Director-General of the Housing Bank of Gabon.
- In February 2012, she was appointed the Minister for Budget, Public Accounts and the Public Service where she served until January 2014.
- In 2014, Raponda was elected Mayor of the capital city Libreville representing the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party.
- Rose was appointed as the Defence Minister in February 2019.
- She also became President of United Cities and Local Governments Africa.
