Rose Christiane Raponda
Office6th Vice President of Gabon
PresidentAli Bongo Ondimba
Term start9 January 2023
Term end30 August 2023
PredecessorPierre Claver Maganga Moussavou (2019)
SuccessorJoseph Owondault Berre
Office 112th Prime Minister of Gabon
President 1Ali Bongo Ondimba
Term start 116 July 2020
Term end 19 January 2023
Predecessor 1Julien Nkoghe Bekale
Successor 1Alain Claude Bilie By Nze
Office 2Minister of National Defense
President 2Ali Bongo Ondimba
Prime minister 2Julien Nkoghe Bekale
Term start 212 February 2019
Term end 216 July 2020
Predecessor 2Étienne Massard Kabinda Makaga
Successor 2Michaël Moussa Adamo
Office 3Mayor of Libreville
Term start 326 January 2014
Term end 312 February 2019
Predecessor 3Jean-François Ntoutoume Emane
Successor 3Léandre Nzué
Office 4Minister of Budget, Public Accounts and Civil Service
President 4Ali Bongo Ondimba
Prime minister 4Raymond Ndong Sima
Term start 427 February 2012
Term end 425 January 2014
Birth date30 June 1963 (age 63)
Birth placeFranceville, Gabon
OccupationEconomist
PartyGabonese Democratic Party

Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda (born 30 June 1963) is a Gabonese politician who served as the vice president of Gabon from January to August 2023, making her the country's first female vice president.[1][2][3] She previously served as Prime Minister of Gabon from July 2020 to January 2023, she was also the country's first female prime minister.[4] She also served as the mayor of Libreville and later as the minister of national defense from February 2019 to July 2020.

Background

Raponda was born on 30 June 1963 in Franceville.[5][6][7][8] Raponda is a member of the Mpongwe people.[9] Raponda received a degree in economics and public finance from the Gabonese Institute of Economy and Finance.[10]

Career

Raponda worked as Director General of the Economy and Deputy Director General the Housing Bank of Gabon.[10] She served as minister of budget and public finance from February 2012 until January 2014.[10][11] Raponda was elected mayor of the capital city Libreville on 26 January 2014, representing the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party.[9] She was the first woman to hold the position since 1956 and she served until 2019.[12][13] She also became president of United Cities and Local Governments Africa.[14]

On 12 February 2019, Raponda was appointed the Minister of National Defense of Gabon by president Ali Bongo Ondimba after the failed coup in January 2019.[13][15][16] Raponda replaced Etienne Massard Kabinda Makaga, a member of the Bongo family, who had held the position since 2016.[17] On 16 July 2020, Raponda was appointed the Prime Minister of Gabon, after her predecessor Julien Nkoghe Bekale stepped down.[12] She is the first woman to hold the position. Her appointment was the fourth cabinet shuffle by Ondimba since the failed coup[18] and occurred amid the dual health and economic crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the fall in the price of oil, one of the country's main resources.[19]

On 30 August 2023 another coup succeeded, and Raponda was removed from power.

References

  1. ^ "Gabon names vice-president and new prime minister". Reuters. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Gabon: Rose Christian Ossouka Raponda named first-ever female VP". 9 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Gabon Names Vice-President and New Prime Minister". 9 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  4. ^ Mouega, Mondjo (16 July 2020). "Gabon: Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda nommée Premier ministre" (in French). Gabon Media Time. Retrieved 16 July 2020..
  5. ^ "Biographie du Premier Ministre Chef du gouvernement Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze"
  6. ^ "Rose Christiane Ossouka de maire de Libreville à ministre de la Défense nationale". 31 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Exécutif : Ossouka-Raponda, première femme cheffe du gouvernement". 17 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda" (in French). Leaders Afrique. 22 September 2015.
  9. ^ Dougueli, Georges (21 January 2014). "Gabon : Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, le nouveau visage de Libreville" (in French). Jeune Afrique. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  10. ^ Gras, Romain (12 February 2019). "Gabon : Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, de la mairie de Librevelle au ministère de la Défense" (in French). Jeune Afrique. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Gabon: Mrs Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda elected Mayor of Libreville". All Africa. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Gabon appoints first woman prime minister amid government shakeup". Reuters. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda in uncharted territory". Africa Intelligence. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  14. ^ "Meetings of the Statutory Bodies for United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) & International Conference: African Cities: Engines of Sustainable Development – Cairo, Hotel Conrad, June 17-20, 2019". Africa News. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  15. ^ Ndungidi, Patrick (30 January 2019). "Gabon: Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda nommée ministre de la défense" (in French). African Shapers. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  16. ^ Solo,mon, Salem (24 February 2019). "African Women Surmount Obstacles to Redefine Their Countries' Militaries". VOA News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  17. ^ "Gabon cabinet reshuffle". Africa News. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  18. ^ Eric Mbog Batassi (16 July 2020). "Gabon Names First Woman as Prime Minister in Cabinet Reshuffle". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  19. ^ "Gabon: A woman appointed Prime Minister, a première". The North Africa Post. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.

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