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The African continent is once again making waves of military coups, this time focusing on Gabon, a fertile land at the equator, a country that played the role of the starting point of a space elevator in the domestic sci-fi movie "The Wandering Earth II."
On August 30, 2023, a political earthquake struck Gabon, and local time, the Gabonese Armed Forces announced the cancellation of the results of the presidential election, the takeover of power, the dissolution of state institutions, and the closure of borders. Just a few days ago, Gabon's current president, Ali Bongo, had just won nearly two-thirds of the vote. The opposition claims fraud in the elections, while coup soldiers have placed Bongo and his family under house arrest.
I quickly contacted Associate Professor You Tao, deputy director of the Center for the Development of French-speaking World at the University of Foreign Chinese in Sichuan, who had worked in Gabon and was the author of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' major project "Gabon".
On 30 August, while under house arrest, Bongo appealed to "his friends around the world to speak up for him." The impact of this incident has spread rapidly.
Update: The current president is under house arrest and several high-ranking officials have been arrested
The Gabonese Electoral Center announced in the early morning that Bongo had won the election and achieved re-election, but it caused dissatisfaction among some people, and there were frequent gunshots in the capital Libreville. Soon after, the Gabonese military released a statement on state television announcing that Bongo had been placed under house arrest while his family and doctors stayed by his side.
Through national television, the coup soldiers announced the establishment of the Gabonese Transitional and Institutional Recovery Commission and the dissolution of all State institutions, including the Government, the Senate, the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court and the electoral body.
Military officials also arrested Bongo's son and adviser Nurdin, chief of staff Gilan and two senior officials of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party, on charges of treason, embezzlement, corruption and forging presidential signatures.
According to the Chinese embassy in Gabon, the coup military has taken control of Gabon's television stations, looping statements declaring the election results invalid, while hundreds of soldiers shouted support for presidential guard chief Briss Oligi. The coup d'état has aroused great concern from the international community.
The role and status of Gabon
Known as the "Land of Green Gold", Gabon is rich in forests, high-quality oil reserves, and the second largest uranium reserves in Africa. Gabon is strategically located as Cape López is an important shipping hub on the Atlantic Ocean. Despite its relatively small size, Gabon has an urbanization rate of 86 per cent. The country is rich in oil, forests and other mineral resources.
Does the coup have a popular base?
Elections in Africa are often complex and diverse, and the results do not necessarily reflect public opinion. In that regard, Gabon is no exception. As in Mali before, a president elected with a large vote can also be overthrown by a coup in a short period of time. People's satisfaction, evaluation of governance, and perceptions of social fairness are not always fully expressed through elections.
French influence on Gabon
As a francophone country, Gabon has always had a strong presence in France. France has a large diaspora, businesses and investments in Gabon and controls 50% of Gabon's exports. French companies play a major role in Gabon's resource development, while France intervenes in Gabon's political and economic spheres to safeguard its interests in African countries. In addition, France maintains military bases and personnel in Gabon. Therefore, if the coup is successful, France is unlikely to stand idly by, because Gabon is crucial to French influence in Africa.
The possibility of external interference
At present, the political turmoil in West Africa is contagious, especially the coup d'état is highly powerful, and there is no tendency for the international community to intervene forcefully. France's hesitation over its problems in Europe, combined with the burden of its colonial past, made it hesitant to act. However, if the coup in Gabon succeeds, the French government should not stand idly by, because the Bongo family has close personal ties with France and national interests are highly interconnected.
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