Gabon President Vows to Give Inheritance to Charity

• Ali Bongo

Gabon's President Ali Bongo has pledged to give his share of his father's inheritance to charity, and says his family also was handing over properties including — a villa in the capital and two hotels in Paris — to the state.

Bongo has led the central African oil producer since winning a 2009 election that followed the death of his father, longtime President Omar Bongo.

• Ali Bongo with the late Omar Bongo

Ali Bongo made the announcement in a speech broadcast on state-owned television late Monday to mark the 55th anniversary of independence from France. He said the decision was in honor of his father.

"All the revenues from my share of the inheritance will go to a foundation for youth and education because everyone knows — and I say it again — that the youth were sacred in the eyes of President Omar Bongo Ondimba," he said.

Omar Bongo's heirs had together agreed to hand over to the Gabonese state a villa in Libreville that would house a university, he added.

• The Bongo family

Source: VOA