Gabon's Coup Leaders to Reopen Borders with 'Immediate Effect'

According to an army spokesperson, Gabon reopened its borders on Saturday after they were closed for three days due to a military coup. The coup, led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, resulted in the ousting of President Ali Bongo and the installation of Nguema as the new head of state, ending the Bongo family's 56-year reign. This coup is the eighth in West and Central Africa within the past three years, causing concerns about a potential spread of military takeovers and the erosion of democratic progress in the region over the past two decades.

The international community has been pressuring the coup leaders to restore civilian government, but they have stated that they will not rush into holding elections. The decision to reopen the land, sea, and air borders was announced on national television by the army spokesperson, who stated that the junta is committed to upholding the rule of law, maintaining good relations with neighboring countries and the international community, and honoring its international commitments.

Ali Bongo was elected as Gabon's president in 2009, succeeding his late father Omar, who had been in power since 1967. Critics argue that the Bongo family did not adequately distribute Gabon's oil and mining wealth. The coup in Gabon is part of a larger trend, with coups occurring in Guinea, Chad, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso since 2020. This wave of coups has raised concerns among global powers with strategic interests in the region.

The reporting for this news article was done by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru and Cooper Inveen in Dakar, with writing by Edward McAllister. The article was edited by Tomasz Janowski and Angus MacSwan.