one on one with Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon

6/28/2011: From the Voice of America. I didn’t realize they had survived the end of the cold war. The videos are just fascinating, and not simple. Great questions, some plausible answers, tough followups. Impressive on both sides. A lesson for US reporters. But keep thinking about his $140 million Paris hotel particulier as you listen. He’s not a dictator, he’s a thief. But he’s in it for the long haul, and knows it’s more profitable to loot a strong economy than a weak one.

Recorded at Blair House, where Lariviere signed the UO agreement with him. (Which Phil Weiler, Dennis Galvan, and John Manotti still will not show me, yet.):

http://www.youtube.com/user/TV2Africa#p/u/19/ZW7u2u8CIMw
corruption – at 5:44

http://www.youtube.com/user/TV2Africa#p/u/18/8QkTdsR4Abc
UN security council, Libya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHrjjrEp7xE
His Dad was Quadaffi’s best friend.”Quadaffi was your mentor, no?”
5:00: In 20 years, maybe Gabon will be an emerging economy. Diversify economy. Educate people.
9:00 Not true that life expectancy is 48 years. I will reorganize government statistics bureau!
Q: Why haven’t you built hospitals instead?

http://www.youtube.com/user/TV2Africa#p/u/17/hK4p3O3Nntg
Education. Preparing 5 year plan. Better supply and demand discussion than I’ve heard from Pernsteiner.
Q: “It’s not like what Abraham Lincoln said about democracy. You run a government of some people, for some people”.
Bongo gets a little testy here. “I have tried to reach out …”
You are lucky you work for the American government, my friend, or  …

I wonder if submitting to this VOA interview was part of the ground rules to get the Obama invitation. It’s in English, so obviously not for Gabonese consumption. Still, it’s an impressive performance – especially compared to his mentor, Quadaffi.