Latest news with #Nguema
Daily Maverick
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
As Gabon looks to the future, its task of renewal is not merely one of governance, but of nation-building
Gabonese voters have given President Brice Oligui Nguema a strong mandate to break with the country's past and steer economic and political renewal. Nineteen months after the military-led coup that ousted Ali Bongo and ended the 56-year Bongo dynasty, the country has turned a page with a landmark presidential election. President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who led the 2023 coup, was the favourite to win the April 2025 election, gaining an overwhelming 90.35% of the vote. Although opposition candidates criticised the process, international observers generally found the polls credible. The election marked the end of Gabon's post-coup transitional period and presents a unique opportunity for the new administration to engineer sociopolitical and economic renewal. The 2025 turnout of 70.11% was much higher than past polls. The three previous elections were marred by disputes, while the last was less contested. This suggests renewed trust in the electoral process and reflects the population's desire for change observed in the wake of the coup. It also shows high expectations for the future. While the coup led to the Bongo family's ousting, Gabon's political and socioeconomic environment still reflects the past. The continued role of several state actors – including Nguema, who hails from the same fiefdom as the Bongos and played a role in the former regime – raises concerns about the depth of political transformation. Also, the new cabinet includes many government figures from the transition period. A thorough renewal necessitates an audacious, innovative approach grounded in inclusivity, transparency, accountability and open political competition. Nguema must demonstrate a shift from the past. A clear, impactful message of a fresh start is needed, along with legal, structural and governance reforms. The political enthusiasm that followed the coup must give way to democratic consolidation. For the first time in decades, Gabonese are hopeful about their future. Nurturing this spirit requires building representative and responsive institutions. Nguema campaigned on the themes of governance, economic diversification, reducing youth unemployment and improving access to basic services. These themes are generally in line with Gabon's major challenges. However, a thorough renewal necessitates an audacious, innovative approach grounded in inclusivity, transparency, accountability and open political competition. The November 2024 constitution adopted by referendum limits presidential terms to two consecutive cycles and maintains a direct universal suffrage election system. This can protect against constitutional interference by incumbents, which has become common practice in Africa. Change from a strong presidential system to a semi-presidential system – with a rebalancing of powers between the executive, parliament and judiciary – also guards against hyper-presidentialism. However, the ability and will of the executive to preserve this constitution are crucial to Gabon's renewed democratic project. With legislative elections scheduled for August, the composition of the upcoming national assembly and senate will also be a key factor. The worry is that Nguema's electoral landslide could see opposition voices in the national assembly and senate marginalised by the overwhelming support for him and his political movement. Restoring civilians' trust hinges largely on reducing corruption, especially in government. Throughout the transition and electoral canvassing, Nguema garnered public support through high-profile anti-corruption campaigns and arrests of former Bongo allies. These practices must be anchored in transparent, fair and rigorous judicial processes. Strengthening existing bodies that hold prosecutorial powers and maintaining judicial independence is also essential. Economic reform is equally important to help Nguema move Gabon and its people away from the past. The country is a leading central African economy and one of the five largest economies among Africa's eight upper-middle-income countries. However, it relies heavily on its extractive sector, specifically oil, making it vulnerable to external shocks. To diversify the economy and create jobs, significant infrastructure investments are needed to boost sectors such as agriculture, forestry, transport, tourism and digital technology. A recent €350-million agreement between Innovo and Gabon's government aims to build a stormwater network, wastewater treatment facility in Port-Gentil and roadway lighting for the highway to Omboué. Another key infrastructure project is the 600-megawatt Booué hydroelectric dam worth $2.5-billion, which aims to meet the country's growing energy demands and promote sustainable growth. These projects align with Gabon's plan to modernise transportation, water management and energy, laying the groundwork for economic transformation. Since the 2023 coup, Gabon has undertaken nationalisation efforts in the transport, timber and oil sectors. The oil sector accounted for 25.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023. Timber, although representing only 3.2% of GDP that year, is important for job creation and economic diversification. Considering the contribution of these sectors to Gabon's economy, nationalisation – if controlled and supervised to prevent corruption and mismanagement – should enable the state to reap additional revenues. Expanding public-private partnerships and attracting foreign investment are also crucial. Electoral promises must be honoured by breaking away from the Bongo legacy through merit-based appointments, transparent public resource management, strong regulatory systems and institutional independence and oversight. Reducing high youth unemployment – 35.99% in 2024 – must be part of this economic momentum. High rates of joblessness fuel political disenchantment among young people, driving a sense of exclusion from social and political progress. Poverty alleviation is also urgent. As of 2023, 31.3% of Gabonese lived below the poverty line. According to forecasting by the Institute for Security Studies' African Futures team, an integrated push to create jobs across key sectors would not only reduce unemployment but 'bring Gabon close to achieving the [Sustainable Development Goal] on poverty' by 2043. Of course, this depends on the government's capacity to improve governance, boost the economy and roll out inclusive socioeconomic programmes. Two steps are vital to delivering a 'new' Gabon that puts its people first. First, electoral promises must be honoured by breaking away from the Bongo legacy through merit-based appointments, transparent public resource management, strong regulatory systems, and institutional independence and oversight. Second, the government must diversify the economy to achieve reductions in poverty and unemployment. This requires bold investment in infrastructure development without increasing public debt and dependency on foreign aid. The new administration's task of renewal is not merely one of governance, but of nation building. That will test whether Gabon emerges from the long shadow of its political past to build a more just, inclusive and resilient future. DM
Reuters
06-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Gabon names prominent banker as minister of finance
May 5 (Reuters) - Gabon's leader Brice Oligui Nguema has named a new cabinet, after his landslide victory in a presidential election in April, choosing a prominent banker and businessman to tackle the country's acute liquidity shortage. President Nguema, inaugurated over the weekend, has said he will boost agriculture, industry and tourism in the oil-dependent economy and fight corruption. Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here. On Monday he named Henri-Claude Oyima, the chief executive of Gabon-based BGFI Bank and head of the Gabonese Confederation of Businesses, to be minister of state, economy, finance and debt. Prior to his election win, Nguema seized power in 2023 from the Bongo family that had ruled the Central African nation for over 50 years.
Business Insider
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Gabon's new leader appoints two vice presidents as part of government
Gabon's new president, Brice Oligui Nguema, has appointed two vice presidents to help govern the oil-rich Central African nation, just two days after taking the oath of office. Brice Oligui Nguema appointed two vice presidents after taking office in Gabon. Seraphin Moundounga named Vice President of the Republic, while Alexandre Barro Chambrier will serve as Vice President of Government. Moundounga will assist Nguema on sovereign matters and serve as interim president in his absence. Gabon's new president, Brice Oligui Nguema, has appointed two vice presidents to help govern the oil-rich Central African nation, just two days after taking the oath of office. The appointments came after the dissolution of former Prime Minister Raymond Ndong Sima's cabinet, Bloomberg reported. According to a statement from the presidency posted on Facebook, Seraphin Moundounga has been named Vice President of the Republic. At the same time, Alexandre Barro Chambrier will serve as Vice President of Government. Moundounga, who previously served as deputy prime minister under ousted President Ali Bongo, will assist Nguema on sovereign matters and serve as interim president in his absence, which aligns with the constitution. Chambrier, a former mines minister in Sima's cabinet, will be responsible for implementing government policies and ensuring policy coherence. Nguema, a former army general, secured a decisive victory in the April 2025 elections, the first held since he deposed Bongo in an August 2023 military coup. Nguema's electoral win marks the beginning of a seven-year term under Gabon's new constitution, ratified in November 2024, which allows for a single renewal. On the campaign trail, Nguema vowed to shift Gabon away from its heavy reliance on oil by strengthening agriculture, industry, and tourism, sectors seen as key to addressing the country's high poverty rate. Despite pledging a break from the Bongo era, which was dogged by accusations of elite capture of Gabon's oil wealth, Nguema's long-standing ties to the former regime have raised questions about the depth of his promised reforms.
Al-Ahram Weekly
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Gabon swears in former military chief as president, signalling return to constitutional order - Africa
Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema was sworn in as the fourth president of the Republic of Gabon on Saturday, signalling a return to constitutional order in the country after nearly two years of political transition following the 2023 military coup in this Central African country known for its oil wealth. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered at a stadium in the capital, Libreville, to witness the ceremony. Nguema, 50, the former head of the country's republican guard unit, has pledged to diversify the central African nation's largely oil-dependent economy, reform the education system, and reduce youth unemployment. 'Today we celebrate democratic renewal,' Nguema said during a speech at the inauguration ceremony. 'I promise to serve, protect and unite all Gabonese, that is the meaning of my oath.' He defeated seven other candidates in the April 12 election, including outgoing Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who finished a distant third with 3% of the vote. None of the other six candidates received more than 1% of the vote. Voter turnout was 70.11%. Some 920,000 voters, including more than 28,000 foreigners, were registered at over 3,000 polling stations. Gabon has a very high unemployment rate, especially among young graduates, and the economy is heavily dependent on oil. There is also a lack of infrastructure, including roads connecting the regional provinces and basic social services such as improving the supply of clean water to the population. Nguema overthrew President Ali Bongo Ondimba in 2023 and then led the country's transition before running and winning the presidential election on April 12 with 58,074 votes, or 94,85 % of the votes cast. Addressing the Gabonese people on Saturday, Nguema promised 'a different Gabon, in line with our aspirations ... we will diversify our economy through the transformation of our raw materials.' He said he would open Gabon to foreign investors. 'Gen Brice Oligui Nguema has raised a lot of hopes among the population, but there is a difference between rhetoric and practice,' said Serge Loungou, a lecturer in political geography at Omar Bongo University. 'There are 40% of young graduates who are unemployed, the economy is heavily dependent on oil, and there is a lack of infrastructure, including roads to connect the regional provinces, and basic social services, such as improving the supply of clean water to the population.' Gabon, which has a population of 2.3 million people, a third of whom live in poverty despite its vast oil wealth, will hold legislative and local elections in September. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Egypt Today
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Egyptian prime minister attends inauguration of new Gabon president
Brice Nguema has been sworn in as Gabonese president at the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Stadium in the country's capital, Libreville, May 3, 2025 - Egypt's Cabinet CAIRO - 3 May 2025: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended the inauguration ceremony of Gabonese President Brice Nguema on Saturday, representing President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Many African heads of state and government attended Nguema's swearing-in at the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Stadium in the country's capital, Libreville. Former military chief Nguema won the elections in April with nearly 95 percent of the vote, concluding his leadership over a 19-month transition government after the ousting of former President Ali Bongo in 2023. Madbouly's participation in Nguema's inauguration reinforces the strong relations between Egypt and Gabon in the political, commercial, cultural, and economic fields, the Cabinet said in a statement. The two countries are engaged in ongoing cooperation in various economic fields that serve the developmental goals of both sides, the statement added. Madbouly's participation underlines Egypt's keenness to continue this cooperation in promising areas, the Cabinet stressed.
