Ali Bongo Ondimba
 Ali Bongo Ondimba    | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Alain Bernard Bongo 9 February 1959 |
| Interests | • tax havens • Pandora Papers |
Ali Bongo Ondimba (aka Ali Bongo) is a Gabonese politician who has been the third President of Gabon since October 2009.
Ali Bongo is the son of Omar Bongo, who was President of Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009. During his father's presidency, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1989 to 1991, represented Bongoville as a Deputy in the National Assembly from 1991 to 1999, and was Minister of Defence from 1999 to 2009.
Contents
Presidential election
After his father's death, he won the 2009 Gabonese presidential election. He was reelected in 2016, in elections marred by numerous irregularities, arrests, human rights violations and post-election protests and violence.[1]
On 28 September 2021, President Ali Bongo Ondimba visited the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew with Prince Charles.[2]
Wealth
The Bongo family is reported to be one of the richest families in the world, owning a private fleet of aircraft, several luxury cars and dozens of residences in France worth many millions of euros.[3]
Pandora Papers
On 4 October 2021, Gabon Media Time revealed that Ali Bongo is cited in the Pandora Papers as having set up a number of shell companies in the British Virgin Islands tax haven, including Gazeebo Investments Ltd and Cresthill Worldwide Ltd.[4]
Military coup
In a coup d'état on 30 August 2023, the military ousted Ali Bongo from the presidency following the 2023 Gabonese general election when he was re-elected for a third term, in an election the opposition described as a ‘fraud orchestrated’ by the ruling party. Speaking to the French newspaper Le Monde, coup leader Brice Oligui Nguema said Ali Bongo will “enjoy all his rights” after the military announced it has placed him under house arrest.
“He is a Gabonese head of state. He is retired. He enjoys all his rights. He is a normal Gabonese, like everyone else,” Nguema said.[5]
Event Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEF/Annual Meeting/2016 | 20 January 2016 | 23 January 2016 | Switzerland World Economic Forum | Attended by over 2500 people, both leaders and followers, who were explained how the Fourth Industrial Revolution would changed everything, including being a "revolution of values". |
References
- ↑ "Gabon: Corruption, succession, elections… President Bongo opens up"
- ↑ "Prince Charles visited Kew Gardens today where he met with the president of Gabon during a visit themed around sustainable businesses and biodiversity"
- ↑ https://www.tagesspiegel.de/internationales/militarputsch-in-gabun-militars-verkunden-sturz-der-regierung-von-gabun--prasident-festgesetzt-10386640.html
- ↑ "Gabon: Ali Bongo cité dans les pandora papers"
- ↑ "Gabon live: President under house arrest as coup leaders meet for next step"
