Paul Toungui

Paul Toungui (born 7 September 1950"Who's Who", "GABON: LES HOMMES DE POUVOIR N°4", "Africa Intelligence", 5 March 2002 fr icon.] ) is a Gabonese politician. He has served in the government since 1990 and is currently the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, La Francophonie, and Regional Integration.

Toungai was born in Okonja, located in Haut-Ogooué Province in southeastern Gabon, [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/jeune_afrique/article_jeune_afrique.asp?art_cle=LIN05013paultnoitas0 "Paul Toungui Ministre de l'Économie, des Finances, du Budget et de la Privatisation"] , Jeuneafrique.com, 5 January 2003 fr icon.] and studied mathematics, earning a degree in France. He was Director-General of the Institute of the Economy and Finance from 1983 to 1990. Standing as a candidate of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) in the 1990 parliamentary election, he was elected to the National Assembly of Gabon. In the same year, he joined the government as Minister of Finance and the Budget, holding that post until March 1994.

From March 1994 to January 2002, Toungui was Minister of Mines, Energy and Oil; he was assigned additional responsibility for hydraulic resources in January 1999, and in January 2001 he was promoted to the rank of Minister of State. He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a PDG candidate in the 1996 parliamentary election and the 2001 parliamentary election. Following the latter election, Toungui was moved to the post of Minister of State for the Economy, Finance, the Budget, and Privatization on 27 January 2002. [ [http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/CENTRALE/gabon/gabongvt/244gvtgabon27012002.htm "Le gouvernement du Gabon remanié le 27 janvier 2002"] , "Afrique Express", N° 244, 6 February 2002 fr icon.]

After nearly seven years as Finance Minister, Toungui was instead appointed as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, La Francophonie, and Regional Integration on 7 October 2008. [ [http://www.infosplusgabon.com/article.php3?id_article=2517 "Gabon : Le nouveau gouvernement gabonais"] , Infosplusgabon, 8 October 2008 fr icon.] [http://www.gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=4968 "Gabon: Laure Olga Gondjout passe le témoin à Paul Toungui aux Affaires Etrangères"] , Gabonews, 9 October 2008 fr icon.] He succeeded Laure Olga Gondjout as Foreign Minister on 9 October.

Toungui is the son-in-law of President Omar Bongo; he married Bongo's daughter, Pascaline Bongo,Jean-Dominique Geslin, [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/jeune_afrique/article_jeune_afrique.asp?art_cle=LIN05013lamthognobe0 "La méthode Bongo"] , Jeuneafrique.com, 5 January 2003 fr icon.] in 1995.

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