Following a coup that toppled the Bongo family’s 56-year rule, a U.N. representative told Gabon’s military leader that the organization’s institutions were prepared to assist the nation as it returned to constitutional rule.
On August 30, army officers took over and dissolved an election that they deemed invalid minutes after the results were announced. Following his father Omar Bongo, who had reigned for 42 years, Bongo has been in power since 2009.
The capital city of Libreville experienced scenes of celebration following the coup, and on September 4 General Brice Oligui Nguema was inaugurated in as interim president by judges while pledging free and fair elections but providing no timeline for their organization.
Nguema was greeted by Abdou Abarry, Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary General in Central Africa, on Wednesday in Libreville and informed that the U.N. will support the nation as it made a new beginning.
His comments were made after the meeting and were aired on Gabon 24 TV. “Once we know the roadmap, the timetable, once a government will have been appointed, our different agencies will make the necessary contacts and continue to support Gabon,” he added.
The 2.3 million-person nation of Gabon, which produces oil, had its eighth coup in three years, albeit it has unfolded substantially differently from the most recent other army takeover, in Niger.
In contrast to Niger, Gabon has not experienced a surge in anti-French, pro-Russian sentiment, and the Libreville-based generals in control look amenable to engagement with international organizations, in contrast to their Niamey-based counterparts.
ECCAS, the regional organization for Central Africa, suspended Gabon on Monday but sent Faustin-Archange Touadera, the president of the Central African Republic, to meet with Nguema in its place.
With Nguema’s approval, Touadera revealed to reporters that he had also met Ali Bongo. He just stated that the meeting had been beneficial, with no further explanation of Bongo’s situation or mental state.
After the coup, Bongo was placed under house imprisonment, but the junta declared in a statement on Wednesday that he was now free and permitted to seek medical attention overseas.
