Rose Christiane Raponda

Raponda was born on 30 June 1963 in Franceville.[8] Raponda is a member of the Mpongwe people.[9] Raponda received a degree in economics and public finance from the Gabonese Institute of Economy and Finance.[10]

Raponda worked as Director General of the Economy and Deputy Director General the Housing Bank of Gabon.[10] She served as minister of budget and public finance from February 2012 until January 2014.[10][11] Raponda was elected mayor of the capital city Libreville on 26 January 2014, representing the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party.[9] She was the first woman to hold the position since 1956 and she served until 2019.[12][13] She also became president of United Cities and Local Governments Africa.[14]

On 12 February 2019, Raponda was appointed as the Defense Minister of Gabon by president Ali Bongo Ondimba after the failed coup in January 2019.[13][15][16] Raponda replaced Etienne Massard Kabinda Makaga, a member of the Bongo family, who had held the position since 2016.[17] On 16 July 2020, Raponda was appointed as the Prime Minister of Gabon, after her predecessor Julien Nkoghe Bekale stepped down.[12] She is the first woman to hold the position. Her appointment was the fourth cabinet shuffle by Ondimba since the failed coup[18] and occurred amid the dual health and economic crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the fall in the price of oil, one of the country's main resources.[19]