Gabon marks 55th independence anniversary with military parade

 Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba on Monday presided over a military parade organized in Libreville to mark the country's 55th independence anniversary.

A total of 6,000 officers from 40 military detachments, paramilitary and Gabonese special forces took part in the parade.

Gabon's air force as well as its navy demonstrated the country's strength in the air and in water before the public that had turned out for the celebrations.

Armoured vehicles in the United Nations colours equally took part in the military parade. The vehicles were part of the convoy given to Gabon to equip its soldiers taking part in the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.

The Central African country which was formerly colonized by France, got its independence on Aug. 17, 1960.

In the last 55 years, the country has had three presidents who include Leon Mba between 1960-1967, Omar Bongo Ondimba between 1967-2009 and Ali Bongo Ondimba since 2009.

Rich in mineral, oil and forest resources, Gabon has a population of 1.5 million people with 30 percent of them living below the poverty line, a report released in 2014 by a U.S. consulting firm Mc Kinsey, revealed.