The African Union has taken immediate action by suspending Gabon following the military overthrow of President Ali Bongo Ondimba on Wednesday. In a press release shared on X (formerly Twitter), the AU strongly condemned the military’s seizure of power in the Republic of Gabon.
The organization’s Peace and Security Council has decided to suspend Gabon’s participation in all AU activities, organs, and institutions. The meeting was chaired by the AU’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Bankole Adeoye of Nigeria, and the current president of the council, Willy Nyamitwe of Burundi.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, expressed strong condemnation of what he referred to as the “attempted coup” in Gabon, a country known for its oil wealth and long-standing governance by the Bongo family. The military forces behind the coup announced the end of the existing regime in the Central African country and placed President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had been in power for 14 years, under house arrest shortly after his official victory announcement in the presidential election held on Saturday.
Moussa Faki Mahamat also called upon the Gabonese army and security forces to ensure the physical safety of Ali Bongo Ondimba.
