Ignacio Milam Tang

Ignacio Milam Tang
First Vice President of Equatorial Guinea
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 May 2012
President	Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Prime Minister	Vicente Ehate Tomi
Preceded by	Office Established
Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea
In office 8 July 2008 – 21 May 2012
President	Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Preceded by	Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea
Succeeded by	Vicente Ehate Tomi
Personal details
Born	20 June 1940
Political party	PDGE

Ignacio Milam Tang (born 20 June 1940^[1]) is an Equatoguinean politician who was Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea from July 2008 to May 2012. He is a member of the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE).^[2] Since May 2012, he has been First Vice President of Equatorial Guinea. He serves alongside President Obiang's son, Teodorín.

Political career

Tang is a member of the Fang ethnic group.^[2] He was Minister of Justice and Worship from 1996 to 1998, then Minister of Youth and Sports from 1998 to 1999. In 1999,^[1] he was elected as the Second Vice-President of the Chamber of People's Representatives,^[3] and he remained in that post until being appointed as Deputy Prime Minister for the Civil Service and Administrative Coordination^[1] in the government of Prime Minister Cándido Muatetema Rivas on February 26, 2001.^[3] After two years as Deputy Prime Minister,^[1] he was instead appointed as Minister of State and Secretary-General of the Presidency on February 11, 2003.^[4] It was announced on January 10, 2006, that he had been appointed as Equatorial Guinea's Ambassador to Spain;^[5] he served in that position until July 2008.^[2]

Prime Minister

Tang was appointed as Prime Minister by President Teodoro Obiang on July 8, 2008, replacing Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea.^[2] Obiang appointed the new government headed by Tang on July 14. About half of the members of the previous government were retained in Tang's government,^[6] despite Obiang's scathing criticism of the previous government.^[7] Significantly, Tang was the first member of the Fang ethnic group to be appointed as Prime Minister since Obiang became President in 1979.^[8] At the time of his appointment, Tang was considered a supporter of close relations with Spain and was not believed to be a powerful figure in the PDGE regime.^[9]

Following Obiang's re-election in the November 2009 presidential election, Tang and his government resigned on 12 January 2010, as they were legally required to do. Obiang reappointed Tang as Prime Minister later on the same day.^[10]

Vice President

Tang resigned as Prime Minister on 18 May 2012 and was replaced by Vicente Ehate Tomi on 21 May 2012. He was moved to the newly created post of First Vice-President on the same day, while Obiang's son, Teodorin Obiang, was simultaneously appointed as Second Vice-President.^[11]

References

1. CV at bisilia.com (Spanish).
2. "Guinée Equatoriale: Ignacio Milam Tang, nouveau Premier ministre", AFP, July 8, 2008 (French).
3. "New Prime Minister appointed in Equatorial Guinea", afrol News, February 26, 2001.
4. "Le gouvernement de Guinée Equatoriale formé le 11 février 2003", Afrique Express, N° 264, February 17, 2003 (French).
5. "Nouveaux ambassadeurs équato-guinéens à Madrid et à Paris", Xinhua (People's Daily Online), January 11, 2006 (French).
6. Bernardino Ndze Biyoa, "New energy minister in revamped Equatorial Guinea cabinet", Reuters, July 15, 2008.
7. "Equatorial Guinea govt resigns: report", AFP, July 5, 2008.
8. "Oil change", The Economist, July 25, 2008.
9. "Equatorial Guinea gets new Prime Minister", Afrol News, 9 July 2008.
10. "Tang renamed as Equatorial Guinea PM", Reuters, 12 January 2010.
11. "Guinée équatoriale: nouveau Premier ministre et nouveau vice-président", AFP, 22 May 2012 (French).