The African Union has decided to suspend Gabon’s membership due to the recent military junta in the Central African nation. This announcement was made by the AU’s Peace and Security Council on Thursday evening, as reported by NAN.
It’s worth noting that the AU suspended suspended Niger Republic’s membership just a few weeks ago when a military takeover occurred at the end of July.
In addition to Gabon, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Sudan have also faced suspensions from international bodies due to recent coups in these countries.
In Brussels, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell expressed the European Union’s strong stance against any unlawful seizure of power in Gabon. He emphasized the need for resolving the challenges facing Gabon through adherence to the principles of the rule of law, constitutional order, and democracy. Borrell stated that the country’s peace, prosperity, and regional stability depended on this approach.
He called for an inclusive and meaningful dialogue as the means to uphold the rule of law, human rights, and the will of the Gabonese people, rather than resorting to the use of force.
The military took control of Gabon on Wednesday, announcing the dissolution of state institutions on state television. They asserted that the recent election results were invalid due to fraud and closed the country’s borders. Shortly before these developments, electoral authorities had declared the incumbent president, who had been in office since 2009, as the winner of the August 26 election.
On Wednesday evening, military leaders designated the head of the Presidential Guard, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, as the interim leader of the country.