‘Deeply Concerning’: White House Speaks Out as Military Coup Rocks Gabon

Gabonese military appear on television as they announce that they have seized power following President Ali Bongo's reelection in Gabon, on Aug. 30, 2023. Gabon 1ere/Handout via Reuters

Gabon’s senior military leadership has seized power in the small, Central African nation, saying on Aug. 30 that they canceled the results of the most recent presidential election and won’t allow movement into or out of the country.

Gabonese President Ali Bongo won a third term in office on Aug. 30, extending his family’s 56-year reign over the nation amid widespread reports of fraudulent election activity.

The military moved to seize control of several government buildings within the nation’s capital of Libreville just minutes after announcing the results, and placed Mr. Bongo under house arrest.

Shortly after, a group of senior Gabonese military officers appeared on television, saying they had taken power.

“In the name of the Gabonese people ... we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officers said.

US Watching Coup Closely

Gabon is located on the Gulf of Guinea, where six other successful coups have taken place within the past three years. In all, there have been 106 successful coups across Africa since 1950.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said it was too early to refer to the coups as a trend. Still, he added that the Biden administration is concerned and watching events in Gabon closely.

“We’re watching this closely,” Mr. Kirby said during a press call. “It all kind of unfolded overnight, so we don’t have a whole lot of conclusions to draw right now.

“This attempted military takeover, certainly the latest in a region that’s been rocked by attempted coup d'etats and unconstitutional power grabs, is deeply concerning to us.”

Mr. Kirby added that all U.S. Embassy staff and military personnel in Gabon were safe and accounted for. The Biden administration, he said, will “remain focused on promoting democracy” throughout Africa, whatever the outcome of current events.

“We will remain a supporter of the people in the region, a support of the people of Gabon, and of their demand for democratic governance,” Mr. Kirby said.

Gabon Braces for Violence

The military officials who have seized power claim to represent the entirety of Gabon’s security and defense forces. They have canceled the results of the presidential election, closed all borders, and dissolved all government institutions until further notice.

The junta installed Brice Oligui, a commander of the Republican Guard, as interim president.

The Gabonese Election Center (CGE) announced Mr. Bongo’s victory early on Aug. 30, following a delayed general election in which Mr. Bongo’s opponent, Ondo Ossa, claimed there was fraudulent activity.

Mr. Bongo’s team has rejected allegations of electoral irregularities. Still, authorities cut internet service, imposed a night-time curfew, and suspended some foreign broadcasts in the immediate lead-up to the election.

Gabon has endured several coups in the 63 years since it gained independence from France, and violence has marred the results of every presidential election there since 1990, when the nation instituted a democratic constitution and multi-party election system.

In 2019, the military temporarily seized control of the Gabonese state radio channel, declaring their dissatisfaction with Mr. Bongo, who was out of the country and recovering from a stroke. A source close to the government said at the time that the plotters appeared to be a small group of soldiers.

Tensions are as high as ever now, with more than 36 percent of Gabonese residents aged 15 to 24 out of work in 2022, according to the World Bank, and total unemployment at more than 21 percent, a marked increase since Mr. Bongo took office in the oil-rich but cash-poor nation.

Reuters contributed to this report.