The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) announced that it was reinstating Gabon, suspended the day after the army coup which overthrew President Ali Bongo Ondimba on August 30, 2023, in a press release Sunday.
A junta led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, then proclaimed transitional president by all the army and police commanders.
Without shedding a drop of blood, he proclaimed
“the end of the regime”
of Ali Bongo, an hour after the announcement of his re-election described as fraudulent by the putschists.
The military also accused those close to the deposed head of state of
“massive corruption”
and catastrophic governance.
They were then acclaimed throughout the country by Gabonese people, the majority of whom were happy that they had put an end to 55 years of rule by the Bongo family in this small central African state, rich in its oil in particular.
But the African Union (AU) and ECCAS condemned the coup the next day and suspended Gabon from their institutions until a
“return to constitutional order”
.
Return to constitutional order
The heads of state, or their representatives, of the 11 ECCAS countries, meeting on Saturday during their ordinary annual summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea,
“decided to lift the suspension of Gabon’s participation”
, according to the final communiqué read on the regional organization's website on Sunday.
This reintegration was decided taking into account
"the significant progress in the process of return to constitutional order marked by the support of the people and the establishment of a timetable for a 24-month transition"
, according to the press release.
In mid-November, the government appointed by General Oligui Nguema confirmed the duration of 24 months for the transition by detailing a timetable until legislative and presidential elections in August 2025. And he confirmed on Saturday the holding of a
“Dialogue inclusive national"
which must bring together, from April 2 to 30,
"all the living forces of the Nation"
to develop in particular a new Constitution which will be submitted to a referendum.
For more than 55 years, the Bongo family - the father, Omar, pillar of
"Françafrique"
from 1967 to 2009, then the son Ali - has ruled Gabon without sharing.
Ali Bongo's wife, Sylvia, as well as one of their sons, Noureddin, were arrested on the day of the putsch and are still in prison, accused along with several members of the former head of state's cabinet , in particular massive embezzlement of public funds.
Ali Bongo, victim of a serious stroke in 2018, is kept in his residence in Libreville.