Jean Ping facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Ping
|
|
|---|---|
Ping in 2008
|
|
| Chair of the African Union Commission | |
| In office 28 April 2008 – 15 October 2012 |
|
| Preceded by | Alpha Oumar Konaré |
| Succeeded by | Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma |
| President of the United Nations General Assembly | |
| In office 17 September 2004 – 18 September 2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Julian Hunte |
| Succeeded by | Jan Eliasson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 November 1942 Omboué, French Equatorial Africa (now Gabon) |
| Residence | Libreville |
| Alma mater | University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne |
Jean Ping (born 24 November 1942) is a well-known diplomat and politician from Gabon, a country in Central Africa. He was the leader of the African Union Commission from 2008 to 2012.
Jean Ping's father was from China, and his mother was from Gabon. This makes him the first person of Chinese background to lead the main part of the African Union. He also worked as Gabon's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2008. From 2004 to 2005, he was the President of the United Nations General Assembly, which is a very important global role. In 2016, he ran for president in Gabon against Ali Bongo Ondimba.
Contents
About Jean Ping
Early Life and Family
Jean Ping was born in Omboué, a small town in Gabon. His father, Cheng Zhiping, came from China in the 1920s to work in the timber industry. His mother, Germaine Anina, was Gabonese and the daughter of a local chief.
Jean Ping's father encouraged him to study in France. Jean Ping earned a special degree in economic science from the Pantheon-Sorbonne University in Paris in 1975. He is a father of eight children.
Working for the World
Jean Ping started his career in 1972 at UNESCO in Paris. UNESCO is a part of the United Nations that focuses on education, science, and culture. From 1978 to 1984, he was Gabon's main representative to UNESCO.
He also served as the president of OPEC in 1993. OPEC is a group of countries that produce oil. In 2004, Jean Ping was chosen to be the 59th President of the United Nations General Assembly. This means he led important meetings where countries discussed global issues.
In 2008, Jean Ping was elected to lead the African Union Commission. This organization works to unite African countries and solve problems together. He held this important position until 2012.
Gabon's Political Leader
After working internationally, Jean Ping returned to Gabon in 1984. He became a top assistant to the President of Gabon, Omar Bongo. This was the start of his political journey in his home country.
Serving as a Minister
Jean Ping held many different jobs in the Gabonese government. In 1990, he was briefly the Minister of Information. Later, he became the Minister of Mines, Energy, and Water Resources.
He also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation for the first time in 1994. This role meant he was in charge of Gabon's relationships with other countries. He was elected to Gabon's National Assembly several times, representing his hometown of Omboué.
From 1997 to 1999, he was the Minister of Planning, Environment, and Tourism. Then, he again became the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position he held until 2008. During this time, he also served as the President of the United Nations General Assembly.
In 2014, Jean Ping left the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party. He then worked to bring together different opposition groups in Gabon.
The 2016 Presidential Election
In 2015, Jean Ping announced he would run for president in the 2016 election. He became one of the main candidates, along with the current president, Ali Bongo Ondimba. Several other candidates supported Jean Ping and stepped aside for him.
After the election, the official results showed Ali Bongo won by a very small number of votes. Jean Ping and his supporters questioned these results, especially in one province where the voter turnout seemed unusually high.
Following the election, there were reports of problems and calls for the votes to be checked again. Jean Ping stated that he believed he had won the election. International groups like the European Union also asked for a clear review of the election results.
The Constitutional Court in Gabon later confirmed Ali Bongo as the winner. However, Jean Ping and many Gabonese people did not accept this decision.
After the Election
After the election, Jean Ping continued to work for political change in Gabon. He organized meetings to discuss the country's future and its challenges.
Reports from election observers, including those from the European Union, pointed out issues with how the election results were put together. Jean Ping used these reports to argue that he had won. He also asked the International Criminal Court to look into events that happened around the election.
Jean Ping kept traveling around Gabon and meeting with people. He also gained support from Gabonese people living in other countries.
Awards and Honors
In Gabon
- Commandeur de l'Étoile équatoriale
- Grand officier de l'Étoile équatoriale
- Commandeur du Mérite maritime
- Commandeur de l'Ordre national du Mérite
In France
- Grand officier de la Légion d'honneur (2006)
- Member of the Association nationale des docteurs en sciences économiques (Andese-France)
Books Written by Jean Ping
- Mondialisation, paix, démocratie et développement : l'expérience du Gabon (2002)
- Et l'Afrique brillera de mille feux (2009)
- Éclipse sur l'Afrique : fallait-il tuer Kadhafi ? (2014)
See also
In Spanish: Jean Ping para niños
