Situation in Gabon, West Africa big issue for Europe — EU

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Musa Adekunle
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This video grab taken from Gabon 24 shows Gabonese soldiers appearing on television on August 30, 2023 announcing they were "putting an end to the current regime" and the cancellation of an election that, according to official results, President Ali Bongo Ondimba won. - During the announcement, AFP journalists heard gunfire ring out in the Gabonese capital, Libreville. While announcing the cancellation of the results one of the soldiers announced the dissolution of "all the institutions of the republic". "We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime", one of the soldiers said on TV channel Gabon 24, adding that he was speaking on behalf of the "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions". "To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled," he added. "All the institutions of the republic are dissolved: the government, the Senate, the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court," he added, announcing the closure of the country's borders "until further notice". Among the soldiers were members of the Republican Guard as well as soldiers of the regular army and police officers. (Photo by - / Gabon 24 / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / GABON 24" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / GABON 24" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS /

The European Union Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, on Wednesday, said EU defence ministers are to discuss the situation in Gabon.

 

Borrell added that if a coup is confirmed in Gabon, it would heap more instability on the region.

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A group of senior Gabonese military officers appeared on national television in the early hours of Wednesday and said they had taken power after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo had won a third term.

 

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The signs of a coup in Gabon come just weeks after members of the presidential guard in Niger seized power and established a junta.

Speaking at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Toledo, Borrell said “If this is confirmed, it is another military coup which increases instability in the whole region.

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“The whole area, starting with Central African Republic, then Mali, then Burkina Faso, now Niger, maybe Gabon, it’s in a very difficult situation and certainly the ministers … have to have a deep thought on what is going on there and how we can improve our policy in respect with these countries

“This is a big issue for Europe,” he added as quoted by Reuters.

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