After almost two years of political transition after the 2023 military coup in this oil-rich Central African nation, Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema was inaugurated in as the fourth president of the Republic of Gabon on Saturday, marking the restoration to constitutional order in the nation.
The event was seen by hundreds of thousands of people in a stadium in Libreville, the capital.
The 50-year-old Nguema, the former commander of the republican guard unit in the country, has promised to diversify the economy of the mostly oil-dependent central African country, improve the educational system, and lower young unemployment.
Speaking during the inauguration event, Nguema said, "Today we celebrate democratic renewal." "The meaning of my oath is to serve, protect, and unite all Gabonese."
In the election held on April 12, he beat seven other candidates, including Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, the previous prime minister, who received a meagre 3% of the vote and placed in a distant third place. Not a single one of the six other contenders garnered over 1% of the vote. 70.11% of voters cast ballots. Over 3,000 voting places recorded over 920,000 votes, including over 28,000 foreigners.
Gabon's economy is highly reliant on oil, and the country has a relatively high unemployment rate, particularly among recent graduates. Infrastructure, like as highways linking the regional provinces and essential social services like enhancing the population's access to clean water, is also lacking.
After ousting President Ali Bongo Ondimba in 2023, Nguema oversaw the nation's transition until competing for president on April 12 and won with 58,074 votes, or 94.85% of the total.
"A different Gabon, in line with our aspirations... we will diversify our economy through the transformation of our raw materials," Nguema said in a speech to the Gabonese people on Saturday. He promised to welcome international investment to Gabon.
"Gen Brice Oligui Nguema has inspired a lot of people, but rhetoric and action are not the same thing," said Serge Loungou, a political geography instructor at Omar Bongo University.
"The economy is highly dependent on oil, 40% of recent graduates are unemployed, and there is a lack of infrastructure, such as roads connecting the regional provinces, and basic social services, like enhancing the population's access to clean water."
Despite its enormous oil riches, a third of Gabon's 2.3 million inhabitants live in poverty. In September, the country will have municipal and parliamentary elections.
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