France is closely monitoring the situation in Gabon where a coup d’état targeted the regime of President Ali Bongo on Wednesday, stated Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.
A group of about a dozen Gabonese military personnel announced on Wednesday, August 30, in a statement read on the Gabon 24 television channel housed within the presidency, the cancellation of elections and the dissolution of “all institutions of the Republic.” “We are ending the current regime,” they added, shortly after the announcement of the re-election of the incumbent President Ali Bongo. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne assured that she is closely monitoring the situation.
After observing “irresponsible and unpredictable governance resulting in a continuous deterioration of social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos (…), we have decided to defend peace by ending the current regime,” said one of these military personnel, speaking on behalf of a “Transitional and Restoration Committee for Institutions.” The borders will be “closed until further notice,” the military personnel responsible for the attempted coup assured on television. They also called for “calm among the population” and affirmed their “commitment to respecting Gabon’s commitments to the international community.”
The national authority responsible for the election, the Gabonese Electoral Center, announced on Wednesday morning the victory of incumbent President Ali Bongo Ondimba in the presidential election on Saturday, with 64.27% of the votes cast. His opponent, Albert Ondo Ossa, had denounced “fraud” as early as Saturday and also claimed victory.
