The President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba, has appointed Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze as new Prime Minister on Monday, replacing Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, who will become the Vice President of the African country.
«By decree of the President of the Republic, as of today, Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze is appointed Prime Minister,» said the Secretary General of the Presidency, Jean Yves Teale, in a statement reported by the AGP news agency.
Rose Christiane Ossouka, now 59 years old, was mayor of the capital, Libreville, and also held the post of Minister of Defense in February 2019. After becoming Prime Minister, the first woman to hold the post, she will now move on to the Vice-Presidency of Gabon.
As with previous appointments, the change follows months of uncertainty over the president’s health. Bongo suffered a stroke in late 2018 while in Saudi Arabia and spent several months hospitalized there and in Morocco before returning to Gabon.
Prior to his appointment as prime minister, Alain-Claude Bilié By Nze has held several ministerial positions, including deputy prime minister for energy and water resources, according to the cited news agency.
President Bongo Ondimba came to power in 2009 upon the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who ruled the country for 41 years, after winning an election that was criticized by the opposition. In 2016 he was re-elected in an election whose results were not recognized by his rival, Jean Ping.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
