France’s Armed Forces Minister, Sebastien Lecornu, announced the suspension of military cooperation with the recently established government in Gabon. This decision comes as a response to a recent coup led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, which effectively ended the Bongo family’s 55-year rule in the African nation.
France has maintained a presence of approximately 400 soldiers in Gabon, primarily tasked with training the country’s army. However, these activities have been temporarily halted pending further clarification of the political situation in Gabon.
Minister Lecornu emphasized, “At present, their activities have been suspended while awaiting clarification of the political situation.”
The coup in Gabon transpired merely two days after General Brice Oligui Nguema seized power, pledging to usher in a more democratic era for the nation’s institutions. The coup leaders took swift action by dissolving the existing institutions, nullifying the results of the recent presidential election, and sealing the country’s borders.
France swiftly condemned the coup, expressing its strong desire to see the results of the election respected. The presidential polls that took place last Saturday in Gabon were marked by controversy, with the opposition alleging fraudulent victory on the part of former President Ali Bongo Ondimba, aged 64.
This unsettling development in Gabon further contributes to the growing list of African countries that have witnessed coups in recent years. Nations such as Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Niger have all experienced political upheavals and transitions, with new leaders often resisting calls for a swift return to civilian rule.
