Gabon: Interim leader holds talks with President of Congo over sanctions

In a move to end sanctions and international isolation against Gabon, the head of the junta that deposed president Ali Bongo met Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso for talks.

Gen Brice Oligui Nguema stated on Sunday that his journey to Congo-Brazzaville became necessary to strengthen connections with its neighbor and to end Gabon’s isolation in the region and globally.

The diplomatic moves came after Gabon’s membership in the African Union and the central African regional body ECCAS was suspended following the coup on August 30.

The regional body has also ordered the immediate relocation of its headquarters from Libreville, Gabon, to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

The Congolese president did not address the media following the talks, but his Foreign Minister, Jean-Claude Gakosso, praised the head of the Gabonese junta as “a man of humility and reconciliation.”

The visit to Congo is the second overseas trip by the interim Gabonese leader, after he was sworn in last month to replace President Ali Bongo.

He has vowed to hold “free, transparent and credible elections” to restore civilian rule without giving a timeframe.

The continent of Africa was recently plagued by military interventions and the latest one in Gabon raised the number of countries under military regime to eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020.

Military interventions in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger have undermined democratic progress in recent years.