A coup attempt is currently underway in Gabon, with soldiers seizing control of national television and making a televised announcement of the cancellation of recent election results, along with the dissolution of “all the institutions of the republic.” This development follows closely after the national election authority proclaimed Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s re-election for a third term.
A soldier appearing on Gabonese TV channel Gabon 24 asserted, “We have chosen to protect peace by ending the current regime.” Gunfire has been reported in Libreville, the capital city of Gabon.
The opposition in Gabon has denounced the election as a “fraud orchestrated by Ali Bongo and his supporters.” The coup leaders have claimed that President Ali Bongo Ondimba is under house arrest, while one of his sons has been apprehended for “treason.” The coup’s instigators also reported that President Ali Bongo is under house arrest, accompanied by his family and medical professionals.
Security forces have been visibly deployed on the streets of Libreville, as reported by Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque from Dakar, Senegal. Haque indicated that the presidential guards have taken control of the presidential palace and strategically positioned themselves around the National Assembly and the Senate.
France is unlikely to intervene militarily in its former colony, according to Tara O’Connor, Executive Director of Africa Risk Consulting. She highlighted that dynastic politics are unpopular in West Africa, and this coup seems opportunistic following successful military coups in neighboring countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
Gabon, formerly under dictatorship, transitioned towards democracy and conducted relatively peaceful elections. However, its relationship with France is of significant interest. France has shifted its foreign policy towards Africa, now intervening only at the invitation of regional bodies like ECOWAS or the African Union.
Amidst the unfolding crisis, the French mining group Eramet has halted its operations in Gabon to ensure the safety of its staff and operations. Eramet, with 8,000 employees in the country, is engaged in extracting manganese ore from the Moanda mines, known as the world’s largest manganese mines, used in steelmaking and battery production.
Source : aljazeera