Coup: African Union suspends Gabon

The African Union (AU) has suspended Gabon’s membership in the wake of the coup in the Central African country.

AU’s Peace and Security Council, on Thursday night, said it strongly condemned the takeover of power by the military in Gabon, which deposed President Ali Bongo.

The African Union suspended Gabon’s participation in all activities of the AU and its institutions “with immediate effect until constitutional order is restored in the country”.

The AU suspended Niger Republic’s membership a few weeks ago after the military took power in the country at the end of July.

Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Sudan have also been suspended since the coups in the countries.

In Brussels, top EU diplomat, Josep Borrell, said the European Union “rejects any seizure of power by force in Gabon”.

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Borrell, in a statement on Thursday, added: “The challenges facing Gabon must be resolved in accordance with the principles of the rule of law, constitutional order and democracy.

“The country’s peace and prosperity, as well as regional stability, depend on it.”

He called for “inclusive and substantive dialogue” instead of force to respect the rule of law, human rights and the will of the Gabonese people.

The military seized power in Gabon in the early hours of Wednesday, August 29, 2023.

Officers announced on state television that state institutions had been dissolved.

The military officers also declared they had put President Bongo under house arrest.

They added that results of the recent election had been annulled as they were fraudulent and the country’s borders were closed.

Shortly before, the electoral authorities had declared Bongo, who had been in office since 2009, the winner of the August 26 election.

Military leaders named the head of the Presidential Guard, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, as the country’s interim leader on Wednesday evening.

The Star