OMAR BONGO ONDIMBA WAS FORCE FOR DEVELOPMENT, STABILITY IN CENTRAL AFRICA, SAYS

SECRETARY-GENERAL AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY TRIBUTE TO LATE PRESIDENT OF GABON

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the General Assembly tribute to the late President Bongo of Gabon, in New York today, 16 June:

I join the Government and people of Gabon in mourning His Excellency President Omar Bongo Ondimba.

I worked with President Bongo on a number of conflict situations in Africa.  I wish to recall in particular the important role played by the late President in attempts to resolve crises in the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

I also recall with great appreciation the contributions he made to the establishment of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, which has been a force for development and stability in the subregion.

I am also grateful for his enduring commitment to the United Nations and his efforts to strengthen cooperation between the Organization and the African Union and Central Africa’s subregional organizations.

President Bongo’s understanding of the many complex and delicate challenges we faced proved consistently useful to all of us involved in conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peace consolidation in Africa.

I offer my sincere condolences to the President’s family, as well as to the Government and people of Gabon, at this time of sadness and loss.

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