The President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba, has appointed Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda as Prime Minister. 

From February 2012 until January 2014, Ms Ossouka Raponda served as Budget Minister of Gabon. She was then elected the Mayor of Libreville, making her the first woman in that position in over 7 decades. In February 2019, she became Minister for Defense in after a failed coup where she worked until her appointment on 16 July 2020 as the Prime Minister of Gabon, the first woman to hold that position in the country, replacing Julien Nkoghe Bekale, who had been in the position since January 2019.

Ossouka Raponda’s appointment comes at a critical time in Gabonese governance and politics. Ali Bongo, who has been president since 2009 has faced criticism from civil society who are questioning his ability to lead the country after suffering a stroke in late 2018 for which he had to spend months abroad for treatment. This led to an attempted coup which was foiled by government forces in 2019. Gabon is also facing stunted economic growth, fueled by the coronavirus pandemic, that has caused fuel prices to drop. 

Now Raponda is tasked with the responsibility of forming a government while leading economic, social and health reforms in the country. “ensuring [Gabon’s] economic relaunch and necessary social support in the light of the world crisis linked to COVID-19.” the president had said in a statement. 

Ossouka Raponda joins Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila of Namibia, the only two females currently serving in the capacity of Prime Minister on the African continent. However, women prime ministers are not uncommon in African history. Agathe Uwilingiyiman served as Rwanda’s prime minister between 1993 and 1994 when she was assassinated, Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé served as Mali’s Prime Minister between 2011 and 2012, Luísa Dias Diogo was the Prime Minister of Mozambique between 2004 and 2010.

Raponda will be the fifth premier to serve under Ali Bongo, who has been President of Gabon since 2009.