Omar Bongo

Omar Bongo Ondimba, Albert -Bernard Bongo originally ( born December 30, 1935 in Lewai, today Bongo Ville, † June 8, 2009 in Barcelona, Spain) was from 1967 until his death President of the Republic of Gabon. With a tenure of 41 years and 193 days, he took the 10th position of the ruling longest heads of state a since 1901.

Life

Early years

Bongo was a member of the minority of Bateke. He attended a trade school and studied at the Technical University of Brazzaville. After graduating, he worked in the administrative service until 1954 for six years he entered the service of the French Air Force.

Politician

After the independence of Gabon 1960 he was secretary of state under the first President of the Republic of Léon M'ba. Until 1966, he held various offices in the government M'bas: Until 1964 he was Head of Cabinet, then defense minister. In 1966, he was also Minister of Information and government commissioner at the Court of State Security. In November 1966 he was appointed Vice President.

President

After the death of Léon M'ba on November 28, 1967 Bongo succeeded him as president. The Unity Party Parti Démocratique Gabonais (PDG ) suspended all its members in all elections 1967-1985. Bongos policy has since been liberal and authoritarian domestic policy in economic matters. His re-election on 25 February 1973, with 99.6 percent of the vote, a similar result brought the presidential election of December 30, 1979 and 9 November 1986.

In foreign policy, he leaned close to France, but also maintained good relations with the Arab world. From 1999 to 2001, he mediated between the warring parties in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The late 1990s, the former press secretary of John F. Kennedy, Pierre Salinger worked for Bongos public relations in the United States.

1990 shook serious unrest Republic, what Bongo moved to abolish the one-party rule. His party was able to maintain the majority even at the parliamentary elections held since then. On 5 December 1993, he sat down at the first free presidential elections called by 51.2 percent. In the election on 12 December 1998, he was confirmed with 66.88 percent, while the opposition accused the government but massive vote-rigging. Recently won the PDG with Bongo at the top in December 2001, with 86 of 120 seats, the absolute majority. A constitutional amendment in 2003 abolished the limitation of the term of office of the President, so that Bongo was able to stand in the forthcoming elections again. Another legislative amendment suggested now that the candidate wins a simple majority, so the most votes in the first ballot, the election. Given the fragmented opposition in the country, this improved the chances of re-election bongos. On 1 October 2005, he announced his candidacy and five days later, the date for the elections on 27 November 2005, established, leaving members of the security forces voted two days earlier. Bongo was confirmed with 79.2 percent for another seven years in office. His principal contractor Pierre Mamboundou came second with 13.6 percent as of 1998.

Visit to Germany in 2005

On 15 June 2005, the then German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder Omar Bongo received in the Berlin Chancellery. At the meeting, it was mainly about the situation in the region and the development of the economic cooperation. The conversation took place, according to press Scores of the Chancellery in " a very constructive atmosphere " instead. At the meeting also came the reform of the United Nations language. Bongo assured to support the proposals of the Federal Government.

Private

1973 Bongo converted to Islam and called himself henceforth Omar Bongo and after his pilgrimage ( hajj ) to Mecca El Hadj Omar Bongo. In 2003 he changed his name to Omar Bongo Ondimba.

Bongo was implicated in the corruption scandal involving the French oil company Elf Aquitaine ( → Alfred Sirven ). He should have received high commissions over the years. He was considered one of the wealthiest heads of state around the world.

Married since 1990 with Bongo was Édith Lucie Bongo Ondimba, a daughter of the President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso. On March 14, 2009, she died from an unknown disease.

His son Ali Bongo Ondimba ( born 1959 ) is thus explained by the divorced 1986 marriage to Patience Dabany officiated from 1989 to 1991 as Foreign Minister and since 1999 Minister of Defense and was following the presidential elections of 30 August 2009 on the election winner and the successor of his father Omar Bongo.

The daughter Albertine Amissa Bongo ( b. 1964 ) died in 1993.

Death

After the death Bongos was announced through various media on 7 June 2009, at first the death of the politician was denied on the morning of June 8, 2009 by members of the government of Gabon. On the afternoon of June 8, 2009, however, the death from heart failure in a hospital in Barcelona has been officially confirmed by Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong. On 10 June 2009, the President of the Senate, Rose Francine Rogombé was sworn in as interim president. According to the constitution must be made within 45 days of the election of a new president.

Controversy

The death of Gabonese President Omar Bongo Ondimba has triggered a debate on the economic and political interdependence of both countries in France. Former French President Jacques Chirac had let himself be his presidential campaign in 1981 financed by Bongo, accused Chirac's predecessor, Valery Giscard d' Estaing in front of his former rivals.