Julien Nkoghe Bekale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Julien Nkoghe Bekale
Bekale in October 2019
11th Prime Minister of Gabon
In office 12 January 2019 – 16 July 2020
President	Ali Bongo Ondimba
Preceded by	Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet
Succeeded by	Rose Christiane Raponda
Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Hydrocarbons
In office 17 July 2009 – January 2011
President	Rose Rogombé (interim)
Prime Minister	Paul Biyoghe Mba
Preceded by	Casimir Oyé Mba
Succeeded by	Hugues Alexandre Barro Chambrier
Minister of Transport and Equipment
In office 2011–2012
President	Ali Bongo Ondimba
Prime Minister	Paul Biyoghe Mba
Minister of Agriculture
In office 2012–2014
President	Ali Bongo Ondimba
Prime Minister	Raymond Ndong Sima
Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Handicrafts
In office 4 May 2018 – 23 July 2018
President	Ali Bongo Ondimba
Prime Minister	Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet
Succeeded by	Carmen Ndaot
Minister for Labour, Employment and Vocational Training
In office 23 July 2018 – 2019
President	Ali Bongo Ondimba
Prime Minister	Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet
Preceded by	Arnaud Calixte Engandji Alandji
Deputy of the department of Komo Mondah
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 October 2018
President	Ali Bongo Ondimba
Prime Minister	Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet
Personal details
Born	(1962-01-09) January 9, 1962 (age 63) Ntoum, Gabon (present day Gabon)
Political party	Gabonese Democratic Party

Julien Nkoghe Bekale (born 9 January 1962) is a politician from Gabon. He served as the Prime Minister of Gabon from 2019 to 2020. President Ali Bongo Ondimba chose him for this important role on January 12, 2019.

About Julien Nkoghe Bekale

Early Life and Education

Julien Nkoghe Bekale was born in Ntoum, Gabon, on January 9, 1962. He went to high school in Libreville, Gabon's capital city. In 1982, he earned his baccalaureate degree.

He first thought about becoming a priest and studied at a seminary for a year. However, he later decided to study law instead. He attended the University Omar Bongo and earned his Master of Laws degree in 1986. After that, he studied at the Libreville School of Magistracy. He officially became a magistrate on October 7, 1988.

Career as a Magistrate

For five years, Julien Nkoghe Bekale worked as a magistrate. He started as a prosecutor in Franceville for two years. Then, he was a judge in Oyem for one year. After that, he became a deputy prosecutor in Libreville for two years.

In 1993, he became a legal advisor to Paul Biyoghe Mba, who was a government minister at the time. This was an important step in his career. He also continued his studies in France, focusing on finance and business administration. This gave him skills in law, finance, and economics.

Political Journey

Julien Nkoghe Bekale is a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party. He has held many important positions in the government under different presidents.

Ministerial Roles

He served as a minister in various departments:

• From 2009 to 2011, he was the Minister of Mines, Petroleum, and Hydrocarbons. This role involved managing Gabon's natural resources like oil and gas.
• From 2011 to 2012, he was the Minister of Transport and Equipment.
• From 2012 to 2014, he worked as the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Rural Development.
• In 2018, he became the Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Handicrafts. His goal was to help small businesses grow.
• Later in 2018, he was appointed Minister for Labour and Employment, also in charge of Vocational Training.

Elected Representative

On October 12, 2018, Julien Nkoghe Bekale was elected as a deputy for the Komo Mondah department. This means he represented his home area in the country's parliament. He won with a majority of the votes.

Prime Minister of Gabon

Bekale and his wife with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russia–Africa Summit in Sochi on October 24, 2019

Julien Nkoghe Bekale became the Prime Minister of Gabon on January 12, 2019. He announced his new government from Rabat, Morocco. He appointed Emmanuel Norbert Tony Ondo Mba as the new energy minister.

He served as Prime Minister until July 16, 2020. He was then replaced by Rose Christiane Raponda.

Key Actions as Prime Minister

During his time as Prime Minister, Julien Nkoghe Bekale supported important changes for Gabon. These changes were aimed at improving the country's economy and how the government works.

• Reducing Government Spending: To save money, the number of government ministers was reduced from 38 to 28 in June 2019.
• Boosting Investment: He created a new Ministry of Investment Promotion. This ministry helps to encourage and make it easier for businesses to invest and start up in Gabon.
• Improving Laws: He supported changes to Gabon's Criminal Code. These changes aimed to make the legal system stronger, especially in terms of good governance.
• Fighting Corruption: A new ministry was also created to fight corruption. This was the Ministry for the Promotion of Good Governance, the Fight against Corruption, and the Evaluation of Public Policies.