Ali-Ben Bongo

Ali-Ben Bongo Ondimba (born Alain Bernard Bongo on February 9, 1959) is the Defence Minister of Gabon. Born in Brazzaville, he is the son of President Omar Bongo and Patience Dabany (born Josephine Kama).

After having studied law, he entered politics in the 1980s, and worked in the office of his father. In 1989, while 29 years old, Ali Bongo became the Foreign Minister of Gabon. Two years later, a constitutional amendment setting a minimum age of 35 for ministers resulted in his resignation. He became a member of parliament in 1998 for the Gabonese Democratic Party, and Defence Minister one year later when aged 38. He also has a daughter, Malika Bongo Ondimba, and two sons, Noureddin Edouard Bongo Valentin and Jalil Louis Bongo Valentin.

Bongo is also a musician who often writes songs for his mother Patience Dabany.

References

* [http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45525 GABON: Who will succeed Omar Bongo?] , IRIN News, 11 February 2005

External links

* [http://english.people.com.cn/200405/21/eng20040521_143989.html 2004 photograph of Ali Bongo] (People's Daily) [http://english.people.com.cn/200405/21/images/0520_181.jpg]