Marc Saturnin Nan Nguema
Encyclopedia
Marc Saturnin Nan Nguéma (born 13 April 1934) is a Gabon
ese economist and politician. He was the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from 1981 to 1983 and has been an opposition politician in Gabon since 1990.
and obtained a Ph.D in economics; he also received degrees in political science and business and public administration. He entered the civil service in Paris in 1960, and after returning to Gabon he became Director of the Economic Affairs Department in 1963. Subsequently he worked at the United Nations
; he was appointed as an Economic Affairs Officer at the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs in 1964, and he was moved to a post at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
in 1965. Later, in 1968, Nan Nguéma was appointed as Gabon's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva
, and he began working as an executive at the French oil company Elf Aquitaine
in November 1970.
Nan Nguéma was Adviser to the Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund
from 1972 to 1975. Subsequently he was Gabon's Representative to the OPEC Executive Commission Board from 1975 to 1976 and Deputy Director-General of the Elf Gabon oil company from 1976 to 1981.
Nan Nguéma served as Secretary-General of OPEC from 1 July 1981 to 30 June 1983. He also worked as the Deputy Director-General of Elf Gabon prior to 1990 and was an adviser to Gabonese President Omar Bongo
until 1990.
(PGP) when it was founded in March 1990. He subsequently left the PGP to found the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) in mid-1992. In late September 1993, he announced that he would stand as a candidate in the December 1993 presidential election
. In the election, he officially placed 10th with 0.86% of the vote. Nan Nguéma was subsequently the President of the Congress for Democracy and Justice
(CDJ) until 2000, when the party was restructured at its Second Ordinary Congress and Jules-Aristide Bourdes-Ogouliguende
assumed the leadership as its Secretary-General.
Nan Nguéma was arrested on 29 November 2004 for illegal arms possession after assault rifles were allegedly found buried at his property in Port-Gentil
. According to Nan Nguéma and his lawyer, the weapons were legally obtained for protection during the turbulent political struggle of the early 1990s and he had no intent to use them aggressively. Bourdes-Ogouliguende denounced the arrest and alleged that it was part of an attempt to brand the CDJ as a terrorist organization.
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
ese economist and politician. He was the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from 1981 to 1983 and has been an opposition politician in Gabon since 1990.
Career as an economist and diplomat
A member of the Fang ethnic group, born in Lambaréné, Nan Nguéma studied in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and obtained a Ph.D in economics; he also received degrees in political science and business and public administration. He entered the civil service in Paris in 1960, and after returning to Gabon he became Director of the Economic Affairs Department in 1963. Subsequently he worked at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
; he was appointed as an Economic Affairs Officer at the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs in 1964, and he was moved to a post at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
in 1965. Later, in 1968, Nan Nguéma was appointed as Gabon's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva
United Nations Office at Geneva
The United Nations Office at Geneva is the second-largest of the four major office sites of the United Nations...
, and he began working as an executive at the French oil company Elf Aquitaine
Elf Aquitaine
Elf Aquitaine was a French oil company which merged with TotalFina to form TotalFinaElf. The new company changed its name to Total in 2003...
in November 1970.
Nan Nguéma was Adviser to the Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
from 1972 to 1975. Subsequently he was Gabon's Representative to the OPEC Executive Commission Board from 1975 to 1976 and Deputy Director-General of the Elf Gabon oil company from 1976 to 1981.
Nan Nguéma served as Secretary-General of OPEC from 1 July 1981 to 30 June 1983. He also worked as the Deputy Director-General of Elf Gabon prior to 1990 and was an adviser to Gabonese President Omar Bongo
Omar Bongo
El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba , born as Albert-Bernard Bongo, was a Gabonese politician who was President of Gabon for 42 years from 1967 until his death in office in 2009....
until 1990.
Political career
Amidst the wave of democratization that swept Africa beginning in 1990, Nan Nguéma joined the Gabonese opposition and became Vice-President of the Gabonese Progress PartyGabonese Progress Party
The Gabonese Progress Party is a political party in Gabon.The PGP was established as a left-leaning party in March 1990, at the beginning of the wave of democratization that swept Africa in the early 1990s. Initially its key leaders were Pierre-Louis Agondjo Okawé, who was President, Marc Saturnin...
(PGP) when it was founded in March 1990. He subsequently left the PGP to found the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) in mid-1992. In late September 1993, he announced that he would stand as a candidate in the December 1993 presidential election
Gabonese presidential election, 1993
Gabon held a presidential election on 5 December 1993. Incumbent President Omar Bongo, in power since 1967, sought a five-year term against 12 other candidates. It was Gabon's first multiparty election, and according to official results Bongo won in the first round with 51.2% of the vote...
. In the election, he officially placed 10th with 0.86% of the vote. Nan Nguéma was subsequently the President of the Congress for Democracy and Justice
Congress for Democracy and Justice
The Congress for Democracy and Justice is a political party in Gabon, led by Jules-Aristide Bourdes-Ogouliguende.In the 17 December/24 December 2006 parliamentary election, the CDJ won one out of 120 seats in the National Assembly. Bourdes-Ogouliguende was the only CDJ candidate to win a seat....
(CDJ) until 2000, when the party was restructured at its Second Ordinary Congress and Jules-Aristide Bourdes-Ogouliguende
Jules-Aristide Bourdes-Ogouliguende
Jules-Aristide Bourdes-Ogouliguende is a Gabonese politician. He is the President of the Congress for Democracy and Justice , an opposition party, and is currently a Deputy in the National Assembly of Gabon...
assumed the leadership as its Secretary-General.
Nan Nguéma was arrested on 29 November 2004 for illegal arms possession after assault rifles were allegedly found buried at his property in Port-Gentil
Port-Gentil
Port-Gentil or Mandji is the second-largest city of Gabon and a leading seaport. It is the center of Gabon's petroleum and timber industries. Although it lies inshore, the nearby mainland is a remote forest area and it is not connected by road to the rest of the nation...
. According to Nan Nguéma and his lawyer, the weapons were legally obtained for protection during the turbulent political struggle of the early 1990s and he had no intent to use them aggressively. Bourdes-Ogouliguende denounced the arrest and alleged that it was part of an attempt to brand the CDJ as a terrorist organization.
External links
- Bio African People Database