African Union Suspends Gabon Amid Military Takeover

On Thursday, the African Union made an immediate announcement of the suspension of Gabon following a military overthrow of President Ali Bongo Ondimba on the preceding Wednesday.

The continental body strongly denounced the military’s seizure of power in the Republic of Gabon, as stated in a press release posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The AU’s Peace and Security Council has decided to suspend Gabon’s participation in all AU activities, its organs, and institutions, effective immediately, according to the press release.

The meeting was led by the African Union’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Bankole Adeoye of Nigeria, and the current holder of the rotating presidency of the council, Willy Nyamitwe of Burundi.

On Wednesday, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, vehemently condemned what he characterized as an “attempted coup” in the resource-rich central African nation of Gabon, which had been under the rule of the Bongo family for over 55 years.

The rebel soldiers declared on Wednesday that they had terminated the existing regime in Gabon and had placed President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had been in power for 14 years, under house arrest, just after the official announcement of his victory in the presidential election held on Saturday.

Moussa Faki Mahamat also called upon the Gabonese military and security forces to ensure the physical safety of Ali Bongo Ondimba.