2023 Gabonese coup d'état | |||||||
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Part of the Coup Belt | |||||||
Topographic map of Gabon | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ali Bongo Ondimba Rose Christiane Raponda Alain Claude Bilie By Nze | Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema |
On 30 August 2023, a coup d'état occurred in Gabon shortly after the announcement that incumbent president Ali Bongo Ondimba had won the general election held on 26 August.
The coup brought an end to the 56-year-long rule of the Bongo family over Gabon. It was also the eighth successful coup to occur in West and Central Africa since 2020.
Background
Since independence from France in 1960, Gabon has primarily been ruled by the Bongo family starting with President Omar Bongo in 1967[2] and, following his death in 2009, by his son Ali Bongo Ondimba. Ali Bongo was re-elected in an election in 2016 which prompted a failed coup attempt in 2019.[3] During the rule of the Bongo family the country had been plagued by accusations of corruption and nepotism,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] several elections had been tainted by reports of fraud or irregularities[11][12][13] (notably, the official results of the 2016 election from the Bongo family's native province of Haut-Ogooué showed Bongo receiving 95.5% of the vote on an alleged 99.9% turnout, an improbable result sparking widespread protests),[11] and the Constitution and electoral laws had been changed multiple times in order to remove term limits, change the voting system to exploit the fractured opposition, and change the timing of elections to ensure the opposition could not rally following a win by the ruling party.[14]
Despite being a member of OPEC,[15] one of Africa's major producers of oil[16] (which accounts for 60% of national revenue), and having one of the highest per-capita GDPs on the continent, Gabon faces serious socioeconomic crises: a third of the population lives below the poverty line of US$5.50 per day,[17] and the unemployment rate among Gabonese aged 15 to 24 was estimated at 40% in 2020.[18] Gabon was also ranked 136th out of 180 countries for the perception of corruption by Transparency International in 2022.[19]
In a speech delivered on the country's Independence Day on 17 August, Bongo, a close ally of France, insisted that he would not allow Gabon to be subjected to "destabilization", referring to other recent coups in the region.[20]
2023 elections
Following presidential elections held on 26 August 2023, the incumbent president, Ali Bongo, who had been seeking re-election for a third term, was declared the winner according to an official announcement made on 30 August.[21] However, allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities immediately emerged from opposition parties and independent observers, casting doubt over the legitimacy of the election results. Among those who criticized the results was Albert Ondo Ossa, who had come second in the elections according to the official count.[22]
Just two hours before the polls closed, Ondo Ossa denounced "fraud orchestrated by the Bongo camp". He had already claimed victory and urged Bongo to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power based on his own purported vote count. The official election results were announced in the middle of the night on state television without prior notice. The country was placed under curfew and internet access was cut off throughout the nation, measures implemented by the government to prevent the spread of "false news" and potential violence.[23]
Coup
Events
Amidst growing scrutiny and widespread protests over the conduct of the elections, the Armed Forces of Gabon launched a pre-dawn coup on 30 August. Soldiers led by high-ranking officers seized control of key government buildings, communication channels, and strategic points within the capital Libreville.[24][25][26] Gunfire was also heard in the city.[27]
The coup occurred just minutes after Bongo's re-election was declared at 3:30 am WAT by the Gabonese Electoral Commission with 64.27% of the vote. During a televised morning address from the Presidential Palace in Libreville[28] on the state channel Gabon 24, around a dozen military personnel announced the end of the existing regime, with a military spokesperson claiming to be speaking on behalf of a "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions",[29][23][30] citing "irresponsible, unpredictable governance" that had led to "a continuous degradation of social cohesion, risking pushing the country into chaos."[23] Among the officers seen during the announcement were army colonels and members of the Republican Guard.[15] They announced the annulment of the recent election, the dissolution of state institutions,[25] and the closure of the country's borders, which were reopened on 2 September.[31] Internet access, which had been cut since the election, was reported to have been restored, while the curfew put in place at the time of the election was extended until further notice.[16][32] but was later shortened to the early morning.[33]
Arrests of Ali Bongo and other officials
The junta later announced the arrest and home detention of Bongo and his eldest son and adviser Noureddin Bongo Valentin, adding that the two were with family and doctors.[34] However, lawyers for Ali Bongo's wife Sylvia Valentin later claimed that Nouredin was being held in an undisclosed location.[31] Valentin herself was reported to be under house arrest,[35] and was later charged with money laundering, receiving stolen goods, forgery and fraud.[36] The President of the National Assembly, Richard Auguste Onouviet, was also arrested by the junta,[37] along with presidential chief of staff Ian Ghislain Ngoulou, his deputy Mohamed Ali Saliou, presidential spokesperson Jessye Ella Ekogha, another presidential adviser and the two top officials in Bongo's Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). The junta said that they were arrested on charges that included treason, embezzlement, corruption, falsifying the president's signature and drug-trafficking.[38] Trunks, suitcases and bags filled with billions of Central African CFA francs were reportedly seized from their homes,[39] with Ngoulou claiming that some of the money was part of Bongo’s election fund.[31]
Despite his detention, Bongo released a video on social media in which he appeared distressed while pleading for help in English, claiming that he was being held separately from his family while calling on his friends and supporters both in Gabon and around the world to "raise their voice" and "make noise" in response to the coup.[16][40] Following his appeal, the CEO of a communications firm that helped Bongo during the election said that the military seized the phones of those who were with Bongo.[41]
Proclamation of Brice Oligui as interim president
Brigadier general Brice Oligui, commander of the Republican Guard, was later installed as interim president by the military junta,[42] and was seen on the shoulders of jubilant army personnel calling him the "president".[29] In an interview with Le Monde, he referred to Bongo as "retired", and said that the military had staged the coup due to discontent that had been growing in the country since Bongo's stroke in 2018, his decision to run for a third term, the disregarding of the country's constitution and the conduct of the election.[43] Oligui promised that the dissolution of state institutions would be only be temporary, pending their reconfiguration into more democratic ones.[44] He also said that the military would move "quickly but surely" to avoid elections that "repeat the same mistakes" by keeping the same people in power.[45]
Aftermath
Formation of a new government
Oligui's appointment as interim president was confirmed by other generals,[46] and he was formally sworn in as "transitional president" in a ceremony at the Presidential Palace on 4 September.[47] In his inaugural address, he pledged to hold "free, transparent" elections but did not give an exact date as to when, and expressed surprise at international criticism of the coup. He also proposed new electoral legislation, a new penal code, a referendum on a new constitution, and the release of all political prisoners. Among the attendees who arrived were former ministers of Bongo's regime, who were booed by a civilian crowd supporting the junta.[48]
On 7 September, Oligui reappointed Raymond Ndong Sima, who formerly served as prime minister under Ali Bongo before joining the opposition, to head a transitional government comprising personalities from all sides of the political spectrum.[49] In an interview by the BBC, Ndong Sima said he expected elections to be held within two years and ruled out putting Bongo on trial for corruption.[50] On 9 September, he announced the final composition of his cabinet, which included both critics and figures associated with the Bongo regime, military officials and civil society members but excluded members of the Alternance 2023 coalition which fielded Albert Ondo Ossa in the annulled presidential election.[51]
On 11 September, Oligui appointed opposition politician Paulette Missambo to head a transitional Senate. At the same time, he appointed Jean-François Ndongou, a former minister under both Omar and Ali Bongo, to head the transitional National Assembly.[52]
On 13 November, the new government announced that elections for the presidency and the legislature would be held in August 2025.[53] The military government published a transition timetable to be approved in a "national conference" in April 2024, with the timetable including events such as a referendum to adopt a new constitution.[54]
Bongo's release
On 6 September, the junta announced that Oligui had authorized the release of Ali Bongo on medical grounds, saying that he was free to leave the country for treatment.[55] Following his release, Bongo moved to his private residence in Libreville.[56]
Reactions
Domestic
Following the announcement of the coup, celebrations broke out in the streets of Libreville and in other cities across the country.[16] The Port of Libreville suspended operations.[57]
A spokesman for the opposition Alternance 2023 coalition thanked the army for standing up to an "electoral coup d'etat" without bloodshed and called on it to finish counting the results of the annulled election and formally recognize the victory of its candidate, Albert Ondo Ossa, adding that it had invited the security forces to take part in discussions "to work out the situation within a patriotic and responsible framework".[58] However, Ondo Ossa himself criticized the coup, calling it "a disappointment", a "family affair" and a "palace revolution", claiming that it had been orchestrated by Ali Bongo's estranged sister Pascaline Bongo and noting that it was led by Oligui, who was also Bongo's cousin. In conjunction with the election, he called the recent events "two coups in one", while continuing to assert himself as the winner in the election.[44][59] Alternance 2023 later called Oligui's inauguration as transitional president "absurd"[45] and called on the international community to push the military into restoring civilian rule.[60] However, after meeting with Oligui on 5 September, Ondo Ossa called on citizens in an online post "to believe in a better and brighter future" for Gabon.[61]
International
Moussa Faki, the head of the African Union Commission, condemned the coup and called on Gabon's security forces to "adhere strictly to their republican vocation" and guarantee the safety of Bongo, his family, and members of his government.[62] The bloc suspended Gabon's membership on 31 August.[63] ECOWAS also condemned the coup, with regional power Nigeria expressing alarm over "contagious autocracy" following similar events in the region.[64] The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) also condemned the military use of force and asked for restoration of constitutional order,[65] It also suspended Gabon's membership in the bloc on 5 September[66] and moved its headquarters from Libreville to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. It later designated Central African Republic President Faustin Archange Touadera to mediate with Oligui, during which the two sides agreed to draft a roadmap towards the restoration of democracy.[67]
The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the coup would increase instability in Africa, calling it a "big issue for Europe".[16] He later condemned the coup, but acknowledged that the preceding election had been marred with irregularities and was an "institutional coup", calling the vote "stolen".[64] Patricia Scotland, secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations, which Gabon joined in 2022, reiterated that the organization's charter clearly stated that "member states must uphold the rule of law and the principles of democracy at all times."[68] United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the coup as a means to resolve the "post-electoral crisis" in Gabon.[69] He later sent his special envoy to Central Africa, Abdou Abarry, to meet with Oligui on 6 September, during which Abarry told him that the UN would assist Gabon as it made a new start.[70]
French government spokesperson Olivier Véran condemned the coup and called for the results of the annulled election to be respected.[71] Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called for "relevant sides in Gabon to resolve differences peacefully through dialogue", and for ensuring President Bongo's safety is guaranteed.[72][15] The United Kingdom condemned the coup, calling it "unconstitutional", but also acknowledged flaws during the election.[73] The United States, while formally not referring to the events in Gabon as a "coup", called on "those responsible" for the takeover to "preserve civilian rule." The US Embassy in Gabon advised its citizens to avoid downtown Libreville and areas near the Presidential Palace.[74] On 26 September, the State Department announced that it was suspending several assistance programs to Gabon in response to the coup, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling the events an "unconstitutional intervention by members of the country’s military”.[75] Canada also called for a "quick, peaceful" return to democratic and civilian-led rule, while Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said the country would evaluate its involvement in peacekeeping missions in Africa.[69]
The French mining firm Eramet, which operates the world's largest manganese mines at Moanda and has 8,000 employees in Gabon, said it was halting all work in the country for security reasons.[68] Eramet shares fell 18% on the morning of the coup.[76]
The coup was also seen to have prompted internal reactions from other countries in Africa. In neighboring Cameroon, President Paul Biya reshuffled the country's military leadership, while Rwandan President Paul Kagame "accepted the resignation" of a dozen generals and more than 80 other senior military officers.[77]
See also
References
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- ↑ "Gabon President Bongo detained in coup attempt after winning third term". Al Jazeera. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Obangome, Gerauds Wilfried; Ross, Aaron (12 January 2019). Donovan, Kirsten (ed.). "Gabon's Bongo names new prime minister after thwarted coup attempt". Reuters. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
- ↑ "The corrupt nepotist who ruled Gabon for 40 years". The Independent. 8 June 2009. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Chrisafis, Angelique (30 December 2010). "Omar Bongo pocketed millions in embezzled funds, claims US cable". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "France charges five of Gabon ex-president Bongo's children with embezzlement, corruption". Le Monde. 29 July 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ Symons, Emma-Kate (1 May 2015). "A fight inside Gabon's kleptocratic dynasty exposes the complicity of French business". Quartz. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Toto, Elodie (26 August 2023). "One family has led Gabon for 55 years. Can this election bring a new era?". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Attempted coup in Gabon aims to remove President Ali Bongo from power and end 50-year dynasty". France 24. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Halvorssen, Thor; Gladstein, Alex (19 September 2016). "Why Did the Atlantic Council Even Consider Giving African Dictator Ali Bongo Ondimba a 'Global Citizen Award'?". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- 1 2 "Gabon's parliament set ablaze after President Bongo wins disputed election". Euronews. 1 September 2016. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ↑ Yates, Douglas (15 June 2019). "The Dynastic Republic of Gabon". Cahiers d'études africaines (234): 483–513. doi:10.4000/etudesafricaines.25961. ISSN 0008-0055. S2CID 182502199. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report". Freedom House. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Yates, Douglas (17 August 2023). "Gabon: how the Bongo family's 56-year rule has hurt the country and divided the opposition". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 "Gabon soldiers say Bongo 'regime' ended, borders closed". Africanews. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Wright, George; Armstrong, Kathryn (30 August 2023). "Gabon: Army officers say they are taking power". BBC News. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: Five Things To Know". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: Military men announce "cancellation of elections", dissolve institutions". Africanews. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabonese react to former First lady 'money laundering' charges". Africanews. 30 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon coup: How did events unfold?". Africanews. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Au Gabon, Ali Bongo réélu président avec 64,27 % des voix" (in French). France 24. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon's Ali Bongo re-elected president in disputed election". France 24. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 "Gabon: Ali Bongo réélu pour un 3e mandat, des militaires veulent annuler les résultats". BFM TV (in French). 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ Agence France-Presse [@AFP] (30 August 2023). "#BREAKING 'We are putting an end to the current regime,' Gabon soldiers say on TV" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Twitter.
- 1 2 "Gabon: après l'annonce de la réélection d'Ali Bongo, des militaires proclament l'annulation du scrutin". RFI. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: coup d'État en cours, les militaires annoncent la fin du régime". africanews. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Agence France-Presse [@AFP] (30 August 2023). "#BREAKING Gunfire heard in Gabon capital Libreville: @AFP journalists" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Twitter.
- ↑ Diekhans, Antje. "Nach Präsidentschaftswahl: Militär stürzt Regierung in Gabun". tagesschau (in German). Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- 1 2 Kwon, Jake; Yeung, Jessie; Stambaugh, Alex; Kennedy, Niamh; Halasz, Stephanie; Noor Haq, Sana (30 August 2023). "Gabon military officers claim to have seized power after election". CNN. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Au Gabon, des militaires proclament l'annulation des élections après l'annonce de la victoire d'Ali Bongo". Le Monde. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 "Gabon coup leader: No rush to elections and 'the same mistakes'". Al Jazeera. 2 September 2023. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ↑ "Western powers condemn coup in Gabon, curfew remains in effect". France 24. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: curfew maintained but relaxed". Africanews. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ↑ Andrews, Frank (30 August 2023). "Gabon coup attempt sees military chiefs declare election results "cancelled" and "end to current regime"". CBS News. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: President Oligui relaunches investigations into public markets". Africanews. 14 September 2023. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon charges wife of ousted president with 'money laundering'". Africanews. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ↑ Bonny, Sidonie Aurore (31 August 2023). "Military in Gabon arrests key figures following coup". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: President Ali Bongo under house arrest, according to military putschists". Africanews. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon's new strongman threatens business leaders over corruption". Africanews. 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon coup: Ali Bongo calls for help in video, says "I don't know what is going on"". Africanews. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon's mutinous soldiers announce new leader". Africanews. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Qui est Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, le Général à la tête de la transition gabonaise ?" (in French). 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Bensimon, Cyril (30 August 2023). "Gabon's coup-leading general says President Bongo has been 'retired'". Le Monde. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- 1 2 "'Family affair': Gabon opposition lambasts coup, claims election victory". Al Jazeera. 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- 1 2 Gregory, James (2 September 2023). "Gabon coup: Military chief says suspension of democracy only 'temporary'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ↑ Wright, George (31 August 2023). "Gabon coup leaders name General Brice Oligui Nguema as new leader". BBC News. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon coup leader Brice Nguema sworn in as president". BBC. 4 September 2023. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ↑ Naadi, Thomas (4 September 2023). "Gabon coup leader Brice Nguema vows free elections – but no date". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon junta appoints former Bongo ally transitional prime minister". Africanews. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ↑ Jordan, Dearbail (9 September 2023). "Gabon coup: New PM tells BBC country should hold elections within two years". BBC. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: PM unveils transitional government officials". Africanews. 10 September 2023. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: ex-opposition and former pro-Bongo at the head of Parliament". Africanews. 12 September 2023. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: military authorities announce elections for August 2025". Africanews. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon: transition timetable Sparks Debate". Africanews. 18 November 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ↑ "Gabon's military says ex-president Ali Bongo 'free' to travel abroad". Aljazeera. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon coup: Can Gen Ngeuma usher in a new era?". BBC. 14 September 2023. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- ↑ Dixon, Gary (30 August 2023). "Gabon closes shipping down after post-election coup". TradeWinds. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon Opposition Urges Coup Leaders To Recognise It Won Election". Barron’s. Agence France-Presse. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon's opposition leader claims coup is a 'family affair'". Africanews. 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon coup will not end rule by Bongo clan – presidential source". BBC News. 2 September 2023. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ↑ Obangome, Wilfried (5 September 2023). "Central African Republic president meets Gabon junta leader for talks". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ↑ "African Union 'Strongly Condemns Attempted Coup' In Gabon". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "African Union suspends Gabon's membership after military coup". Reuters. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- 1 2 "EU's Borrell Says Gabon Coup Followed Flawed Election". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Central African bloc calls for return to constitutional order in Gabon". Reuters. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ↑ "Central African bloc suspends Gabon over coup". Africanews. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon, region agree to draft 'roadmap' for return to democracy". Africanews. 8 September 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- 1 2 "Gabon coup: President Bongo, under 'house arrest,' calls for 'friends' to 'make noise'". Le Monde. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- 1 2 "World reaction to the military coup in Gabon". Al Jazeera. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Gabon military government appoints former opposition leader as interim PM". Aljazeera. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ↑ "France Condemns 'Coup Which Is Underway' In Gabon: Govt Spokesman". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "China urges relevant sides in Gabon to resolve differences peacefully through dialogue". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ "Britain Condemns 'Unconstitutional' Military Coup In Gabon". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Soldiers in Gabon declare coup after president wins reelection for 3rd term". ABC News. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "US halts foreign assistance to Gabon after August 30 coup". Aljazeera. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ↑ "What could the market impact be from Gabon's coup?". Yahoo! News. Reuters. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ↑ Mednick, Sam (30 August 2023). "Gabon election results were a 'smokescreen' for soldiers to oust unpopular president, analysts say". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
External links
- A simple guide to the coup from the BBC News