Ali Bongo
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Ali Bongo Ondimba (born Alain-Bernard Bongo; 9 February 1959) also known as Ali Ben Bongo is a Gabonese former politician and
dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute Power (social and political), power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a polity. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to r ...
who was the third
president of Gabon The president of Gabon () is the head of state and Head of government, government of Gabon. A total of three people have served as president (not counting the collective head of state, one disputed president, three acting presidents and one tra ...
from 2009 until he was deposed in a coup in 2023. A member of the
Gabonese Democratic Party The Gabonese Democratic Party (, PDG) is a political party in Gabon. It was the dominant political party in Gabonese politics from 1961 until 2023, when it was deposed in a coup d'état against President Ali Bongo. It was also the sole legal ...
, Bongo is the son of
Omar Bongo Omar Bongo Ondimba (born Albert-Bernard Bongo; 30 December 1935 – 8 June 2009) was a Gabonese politician who was the second president of Gabon from 1967 until Death and state funeral of Omar Bongo, his death in 2009. A member of the Gabonese De ...
, who was president from 1967 until his death in 2009. During his father's presidency, Bongo was
Minister of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...
from 1989 to 1991, represented
Bongoville Bongoville is a town in southeastern Gabon, east of Franceville. It was known as Lewai until it was renamed for President Omar Bongo, who was born in what was then a village but was greatly enlarged under his presidency. It is just west of the B ...
as a deputy in the
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
from 1991 to 1999, and was the
Minister of National Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...
from 1999 to 2009. After his father's death, Bongo was elected president in the 2009 presidential election, marking the first
political dynasty A political family (also referred to as political dynasty) is a family in which multiple members are involved in politics — particularly electoral politics. Members may be related by blood or marriage; often several generations or multiple sibl ...
in the country."Bongo's son to be Gabon candidate in August poll"
, AFP, 16 July 2009.
He was reelected in
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
, with elections being marred by numerous irregularities, arrests, human rights violations and post-election protests and violence."Unrest as dictator's son declared winner in Gabon"
, Associated Press, 3 September 2009.
On 30 August 2023, following the results of the
general election A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from By-election, by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. Gener ...
, the
military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
, led by Bongo's cousin
Brice Oligui Nguema Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema (; born 3 March 1975) is a Gabonese politician and military officer who is currently serving as the fourth president of Gabon since May 2025, having previously served in this role in a transitional capacity from 2023 ...
, ousted him from the presidency in a coup d'état due to lack of transparency in the election process and established a junta called the
Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions The Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (, CTRI) was the ruling military junta of Gabon. It took power in the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état after annulling the 2023 Gabonese general election. A dozen of its members declared ...
. This effectively made Bongo the first Gabonese president to not die in service and has put an end to the long 56-year rule of the Bongo dynasty.


Early life and career


Birth

Ali Bongo was born Alain-Bernard Bongo in
Brazzaville Brazzaville () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo. Administratively, it is a Departments of the Republic of the Congo, department and a Communes of the Republic of the Congo, commune. Constituting t ...
, as the son of Albert-Bernard Bongo (later Omar Bongo Ondimba) and Josephine Kama (later
Patience Dabany Patience Marie Josephine Kama Dabany (born 22 January 1941; member of the Order of Gabriela Silang), also known by the names Marie Joséphine Kama and Josephine Bongo, is a Gabonese singer and musician. Dabany served as the First Lady of Gab ...
). His mother was 18 years old at the time of his birth. He was conceived 18 months before their marriage and there have been rumors of his being Bongo's adopted son, a claim that he dismisses. Alain-Bernard changed his name to Ali when he and his father converted to Islam in 1973 and, in 2003, they both adopted the Obamba
patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic. Patronymics are used, b ...
"Ondimba" in memory of Omar's father, Basile Ondimba.


Education and music career

Bongo was educated at a private school in
Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; 'Neuilly-on-Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is an urban Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department just west of Paris in France. Immediately adjacent to the city, north of the ...
, France, and then studied law at the Sorbonne. In 2018, he received an honorary doctorate of law degree from
Wuhan University Wuhan University (WHU; 武汉大学) is a key comprehensive public university in Wuhan, Hubei, China. It is directly affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Ministry of Education of China. The un ...
in China. In 1977, as Alain Bongo, he released a
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
album, ''A Brand New Man'', produced by Charles Bobbit.


Early political career

After graduating from his law course, he entered politics, joining the
Gabonese Democratic Party The Gabonese Democratic Party (, PDG) is a political party in Gabon. It was the dominant political party in Gabonese politics from 1961 until 2023, when it was deposed in a coup d'état against President Ali Bongo. It was also the sole legal ...
(, abbreviated PDG) in 1981; he was elected to the PDG Central Committee at the party's Third Extraordinary Congress in March 1983. Subsequently, he was his father's Personal Representative to the PDG and in that capacity he entered the PDG Political Bureau in 1984. He was then elected to the Political Bureau at an ordinary party congress in September 1986."Gabon: Le PDG explique le choix du candidat Ali Bongo Ondimba (Encadré)"
, Gabonews, 19 July 2009 .
Bongo held the post of High Personal Representative of the President of the Republic from 1987 to 1989. In 1989, his father appointed him to the government as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation,Barnes, James Franklin (1992
''Gabon: Beyond the Colonial Legacy''"> ''Gabon: Beyond the Colonial Legacy''
Westview Press, , p. 57.
replacing
Martin Bongo Martin Bongo (July 4, 1940 – 18 November, 2023) was a Gabon political figure and diplomat. He was the Foreign Minister of Gabon from 1976 to 1989. Bongo, a nephew of President Omar Bongo,James Franklin Barnes''Gabon: Beyond the Colonial Legacy' ...
. He was considered a reformist within the ruling PDG in the early 1990s. In the 1990 parliamentary election (the first election after the introduction of multiparty politics), he was elected to the
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
as a PDG candidate in
Haut-Ogooué Province Haut-Ogooué is the southeasternmost of Gabon's nine provinces. It is named after the Ogooué River. It covers an area of . The provincial capital is Franceville. One of its primary industries is mining, with manganese, gold and uranium bein ...
. After two years as Foreign Minister, a 1991 constitutional amendment setting a minimum age of 35 for ministers resulted in his departure from the government. Following his departure from the government, Bongo took up his seat as a Deputy in the National Assembly in 1991. In February 1992, he organized a visit by American pop singer
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
to Gabon. Bongo became President of the Higher Council of Islamic Affairs of Gabon (''Conseil supérieur des affaires islamiques du Gabon'', CSAIG) in 1996. Prior to the December 1996 parliamentary election, a supporter of Defense Minister
Idriss Ngari Idriss Ngari (2 April 1946 – 27 May 2025) was a Gabonese politician and army general. A relative of President Omar Bongo, Ngari rose rapidly through the ranks of the army, ultimately serving as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces from 1984 to 1994 ...
challenged Bongo for the PDG nomination to his parliamentary seat, but Bongo was successful in winning the nomination and retaining the seat. In surviving that challenge, he benefited from the assistance of his maternal uncle Jean-Boniface Assélé, one of his key political allies. After over seven years as a Deputy, Bongo was appointed to the government as
Minister of National Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...
on 25 January 1999.List of governments of Gabon
, IZF.net .
In the December 2001 parliamentary election, Bongo was elected to the National Assembly as a PDG candidate in Haut-Ogooué Province. At the PDG's Eighth Ordinary Congress in July 2003, he was elected as a vice-president of the PDG. During the 2005 presidential election, he worked on his father's re-election campaign as Coordinator-General of Youth. Following that election, he was promoted to the rank of
Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...
on 21 January 2006, while retaining the defense portfolio. Bongo was re-elected to the National Assembly in the December 2006 parliamentary election as a PDG candidate in Haut-Ogooué Province. He retained his post as Minister of State for National Defense after that election, although he was subsequently reduced to the rank of ordinary Minister on 28 December 2007. At the PDG's Ninth Ordinary Congress in September 2008, he was re-elected as a vice-president of the PDG.


Election and presidency

Omar Bongo died at a Spanish hospital on 8 June 2009. Ali Bongo appeared on television that night to call "for calm and serenity of heart and reverence to preserve the unity and peace so dear to our late father". Having been appointed to key positions by his father, it was widely considered likely that he would emerge as his father's successor following the latter's death in June 2009. Some press reports predicted a power struggle, however, suggesting that a "fierce rivalry" existed between Bongo and his sister
Pascaline A Pascaline signed by Pascal in 1652 Top view and overview of the entire mechanism. This version of Pascaline was for accounting. The pascaline (also known as the arithmetic machine or Pascal's calculator) is a mechanical calculator invented by ...
, who was Director of the Presidential Cabinet. The degree of support for Ali Bongo within the PDG leadership was also questioned in the press, and it was argued that many Gabonese "see him as a spoilt child, born in Congo-Brazzaville, brought up in France, hardly able to speak indigenous languages and with the appearance of a hip hop star". Bongo was one of ten candidates who submitted applications to become the PDG's candidate in the early presidential election, scheduled for 30 August 2009. PDG Deputy Secretary-General announced on 16 July that the party leadership had chosen Bongo by consensus as the PDG candidate, although this decision still needed to be formally confirmed at a party congress. An extraordinary PDG congress accordingly designated Bongo as the party's candidate on 19 July. On that occasion, he thanked delegates for their choice, saying he was "aware of the legitimate concerns" of the people; he vowed to battle corruption and "redistribute the proceeds of economic growth" as president."Ali Bongo Ondimba: I commit myself before you"
(''IOL'')
Despite standing as a presidential candidate, Bongo was retained as Minister of Defense in the government appointed on 22 July 2009. Rogombé urged calm and called for the candidates to be "worthy" of the votes they would receive. The opposition strongly protested Bongo's continued inclusion in the government. After Interim President
Rose Francine Rogombé Rose Francine Rogombé (née Etomba; 20 September 1942 – 10 April 2015) was a Gabonese politician who was acting president of Gabon from June to October 2009, following the death of long-time President Omar Bongo. She constitutionally succeede ...
said that Bongo would be replaced so that all candidates would be on an equal footing for the election, Interior Minister
Jean-François Ndongou Jean-François Ndongou (born 1960) is a Gabonese politician. He is a former interior minister. Following the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état, Ndongou was appointed president of the National Assembly of Gabon. References {{DEFAULTSORT:Ndongou, J ...
was appointed to take over from Bongo as Minister of Defense in an interim capacity when the election campaign officially began on 15 August 2009. A few days after the election on 30 August 2009, it was announced that he had won the election with 42% of the vote, and that result was promptly confirmed by the
Constitutional Court A constitutional court is a high court that deals primarily with constitutional law. Its main authority is to rule on whether laws that are challenged are in fact unconstitutional, i.e. whether they conflict with constitutionally established ru ...
. The opposition rejected the official results, and riots broke out in Gabon's second largest city,
Port-Gentil Port-Gentil () or Mandji is the second-largest city of Gabon, and it is a leading seaport. It is the center of Gabon's petroleum and timber industries. The city is located on a delta island in the Ogooue delta. Nearby Cape Lopez is Gabon's weste ...
. In response to allegations of fraud, the Constitutional Court conducted a recount before again declaring Bongo the winner with 41.79% of the vote on 12 October 2009; he was then sworn in as president on 16 October. Various African presidents were present for the ceremony. Bongo expressed a commitment to justice and the fight against corruption at the ceremony and said that fast action was needed to "give back confidence and promote the emergence of new hope". He also alluded to his father's governing philosophy of preserving stability through regional, tribal, and political balance in the allocation of power, while also stressing that "excellence, competence and work" were even more important than "geographical and political considerations". Later in the day, he announced the reappointment of Paul Biyoghe Mba as
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
; he made the announcement personally "to underline the importance of this moment". According to Bongo, Biyoghe Mba had the necessary experience and managerial competence "to lead us through the next stage", and he said work would start "immediately". The composition of Biyoghe Mba's new government was announced on 17 October; it was reduced to only 30 ministers, thereby fulfilling Bongo's campaign promise to reduce the size of the government and thereby reduce expenses. The government was also mostly composed of new faces, including many technocrats, although a few key ministers, such as
Paul Toungui Paul Toungui (born 7 September 1950"Who's Who", Africa Intelligence, ''Gabon: Les Hommes de Pouvoir'', number 4, 5 March 2002 .) is a Gabonese politician who served in the government of Gabon from 1990 to 2012. He was Minister of Finance from 199 ...
(
Foreign Minister In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
),
Jean-François Ndongou Jean-François Ndongou (born 1960) is a Gabonese politician. He is a former interior minister. Following the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état, Ndongou was appointed president of the National Assembly of Gabon. References {{DEFAULTSORT:Ndongou, J ...
(Interior Minister), and Laure Olga Gondjout (Communications Minister), retained their posts. On 9 June 2011, Ali Bongo and
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
met at the White House. In 2012, clashes between the supporters of opposition figure
André Mba Obame André Mba Obame (15 June 1957"Mba Obame André", ''Gabon: Les hommes de pouvoir'', number 4Africa Intelligence 5 March 2002 . – 12 April 2015) was a Gabonese politician. After serving as an adviser to President Omar Bongo in the 1980s, he wa ...
and police occurred in
Libreville Libreville (; ) is the capital and largest city of Gabon, located on the Gabon Estuary. Libreville occupies of the northwestern province of Estuaire Province, Estuaire. Libreville is also a port on the Gabon Estuary, near the Gulf of Guinea. A ...
. On 17 August 2015, Bongo announced that he planned to donate everything he inherited from his father to the young people of Gabon, in the form of "a foundation for the youth and education". Explaining his decision, he said that "we are all heirs of Omar Bongo Ondimba" and that "no Gabonese must be left by the side of the road". Gabon's economy continues to be based on a rent strategy, being entirely devoted to the production and export of natural resources. Many difficulties persist in addition: unemployment rate around 30% of the active population in 2016, expeditious arrests during student or union demonstrations (numerous since January 2016), deterioration of access to health care, deficiency of public services, recurrent electricity cuts. More than half of the population is below the poverty line. On 24 October 2018, Bongo was hospitalized in
Riyadh Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in th ...
for an undisclosed illness. On 29 November 2018 Bongo was transferred to a military hospital in
Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ) is the Capital (political), capital city of Morocco and the List of cities in Morocco, country's seventh-largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. ...
to continue recovery. On 9 December 2018 it was reported by Gabon's Vice President
Pierre Claver Maganga Moussavou Pierre Claver Maganga Moussavou (born 8 April 1952) is a Gabonese politician who served as Vice President of Gabon from 2017 to 2019. He is the President of the Social Democratic Party. Life and career Born to a Punu familyFranck Salin"Pierre C ...
that Bongo had a stroke in Riyadh and has since left the hospital in Rabat and is currently recovering at a private residence in Rabat. From 24 October 2018 to 1 January 2019, Bongo was not seen in public, leading to rampant speculation about the possibility that he may have died or otherwise become incapacitated. On 1 January 2019, Bongo gave his first public address via a video posted to social media since falling ill in October 2018 quashing rumors of his death. Despite this, many anti-Bongo activists living abroad questioned the legitimacy of the video with some claiming that the man giving the address was not Bongo, but a body double. In August 2019, Bongo made his first public appearance since his stroke. He has appeared in public using a
wheelchair A wheelchair is a mobilized form of chair using two or more wheels, a footrest, and an armrest usually cushioned. It is used when walking is difficult or impossible to do due to illnesses, injury, disabilities, or age-related health conditio ...
on several occasions since his stroke. On 7 January 2019, soldiers in Gabon launched a coup d'etat attempt. The coup attempt failed, and the government successfully re-asserted control. The coup may not have actually happened though, as has been reported by critics, and could have been used as a tactic by the government to gain support. As a result of Bongo's medically induced absence from politics, Gabon has witnessed the proliferation of official corruption targeting foreign-owned businesses. In early January 2020, the Senate and National Assembly passed a constitutional reform that would allow the president to appoint one-third of senators in place of elections, among other changes. In October 2021, Bongo was named in the
Pandora Papers The Pandora Papers are 11.9 million leaked documents with 2.9 terabytes of data that the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published beginning on 3 October 2021. The leak exposed the secret offshore accounts of 35 ...
leak as having controlled two shell companies in the
British Virgin Islands The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and north-west ...
.


2023 election and overthrow

In January 2018, both houses of the bicameral Gabonese parliament voted in favor of creating a two-round electoral ballot system, which would replace the single-round, first-past-the-post system used for previous presidential and parliamentary elections in the country. This was later reversed in April 2023, nearly five months prior to the Gabonese general elections, following political consultations in February. Other changes agreed to by the Gabonese government include five-year terms for all elected officials in the country, as well as the abolition of re-election limits. Roughly one month before the elections, which were scheduled to be held on 26 August, the Gabonese Center for Elections announced a last-minute change to the ballot system that requires voters to support a parliamentary candidate from the same party as their preferred presidential candidate. The leading opposition candidate,
Albert Ondo Ossa Albert Ondo Ossa is a Gabonese politician, member of civil society and associate professor of economics at Omar Bongo University. Career In 1987, Albert Ondo Ossa passed the competitive examination for the faculties of economics and managemen ...
, is an independent, thereby making it impossible for Gabonese voters to simultaneously vote for him and a parliamentary representative of the multi-party Alternance 2023 opposition coalition, which chose Ossa as their joint candidate. Foreign media outlets and independent observers were reportedly prevented from entering Gabon on the day of the election. Delays were reported at several polling stations, with people waiting in line for hours before getting the chance to cast their ballots. In the evening after voting took place, the Gabonese government restricted internet access and media broadcasts from French news outlets, and a curfew was imposed. Just two hours before the polls closed, Ondo Ossa denounced "fraud orchestrated by the Bongo camp". He had already claimed victory and urged Bongo to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power based on his own purported vote count. The official election results were announced in the middle of the night on state television without prior notice. The country was placed under curfew and internet access was cut off throughout the nation, measures implemented by the government to prevent the spread of "false news" and potential violence. In the early morning of 30 August, Bongo's re-election was declared by the Gabonese electoral commission with 64.27% of the vote. Minutes later, the military seized the
Presidential Palace A presidential palace is the official residence of the president in some countries. Some presidential palaces were once the official residences to monarchs in former monarchies that were preserved during those states' transition into republics. ...
in Libreville and around a dozen military personnel announced the end of Bongo's regime, with a military spokesperson claiming to be speaking on behalf of a "
Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions The Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (, CTRI) was the ruling military junta of Gabon. It took power in the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état after annulling the 2023 Gabonese general election. A dozen of its members declared ...
", citing his "irresponsible, unpredictable governance" that had led to "a continuous degradation of social cohesion, risking pushing the country into chaos". They also announced the annulment of the recent election, the dissolution of state institutions, and the closure of the country's borders. Among the officers seen during the announcement were
army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
colonels and members of the
Republican Guard A republican guard, sometimes called a national guard, is a state organization of a country (often a republic, hence the name ''Republican'') which typically serves to protect the head of state and the government, and thus is often synonymous wit ...
. The junta later announced the arrest and home detention of Bongo and his eldest son and adviser
Noureddin Bongo Valentin Noureddin Bongo Valentin (born 9 March 1992) is a Gabonese politician and the eldest son of former president Ali Bongo and Sylvia Bongo Ondimba. Biography Bongo Valentin was educated at Eton College in the United Kingdom. On 5 December 201 ...
, adding that the two were with family and doctors. Also arrested by the junta were several of Bongo's presidential aides. The junta said that they were facing charges that included treason, embezzlement, corruption, falsifying the president's signature and drug-trafficking. Despite his detention, Bongo released a video on social media in which he appeared distressed while pleading for help in English, calling on his friends and supporters both in Gabon and around the world to "raise their voice" and "make noise" in response to the coup.
Brice Oligui Nguema Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema (; born 3 March 1975) is a Gabonese politician and military officer who is currently serving as the fourth president of Gabon since May 2025, having previously served in this role in a transitional capacity from 2023 ...
, his cousin and commander of the Republican Guard, was later installed as interim president by the military junta. A week after the coup, Oligui authorized Bongo's release on medical grounds, saying that he was free to leave the country for treatment. Following his release, Bongo moved to his private residence in Libreville. In September 2024, Bongo announced his retirement from politics, while appealing for the release of his wife Sylvia and son Noureddin. He also accepted "sole responsibility" for "failings" under his regime. In May 2025, Bongo and his family moved to Angola following the announcement of an agreement between President
João Lourenço João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço (born 5 March 1954) is an Angolan politician who is currently serving as the third president of Angola since 26 September 2017. Previously, he was the minister of defence from 2014 to 2017. In September 2018, ...
and Oligui, who had since been elected president of Gabon.


Family

Ali Bongo married his first wife, the French-born Sylvia Valentin, in 1989; she is the daughter of Édouard Valentin, CEO of the Omnium gabonais d'assurances et de réassurances (OGAR) insurance company. Édouard Valentin's wife Evelyne works in the secretariat of the presidency, and Édouard is ''Chargé des affaires sociales'' at the Gabonese Employers Confederation (Confédération patronale gabonaise, CPG)."Ali Bongo Ondimba : Biographie officielle"
, Gaboneco, 9 August 2009.
In 1994 Ali Bongo married his second wife, American , from Los Angeles, California; at the time of Ali Bongo's election as president, Inge Bongo was living on food stamps in California; she filed for divorce in 2015. He has four children—one daughter, Malika Bongo Ondimba, and three sons,
Noureddin Bongo Valentin Noureddin Bongo Valentin (born 9 March 1992) is a Gabonese politician and the eldest son of former president Ali Bongo and Sylvia Bongo Ondimba. Biography Bongo Valentin was educated at Eton College in the United Kingdom. On 5 December 201 ...
, Jalil Bongo Ondimba and Bilal Bongo—whom he and Sylvia adopted in 2002.Saharan Vibe: Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba – A Succession Story
. Saharanvibe.blogspot.com (10 September 2009). Retrieved 4 April 2014.


References


External links


Official site of Ali Bongo


(''People's Daily'')
GABON: Who will succeed Omar Bongo?
IRIN News, 11 February 2005 , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Bongo, Ali 1959 births Living people Presidents of Gabon Defence ministers of Gabon Ministers for foreign affairs of Gabon Gabonese Democratic Party politicians Bongo family Gabonese lawyers People named in the Pandora Papers Leaders ousted by a coup Children of presidents 20th-century Gabonese politicians 21st-century Gabonese politicians Gabonese expatriates in France Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University alumni Lawyers with disabilities Politicians with disabilities Gabonese wheelchair users Teke people Gabonese Muslims Converts to Islam People from Brazzaville