Several countries such as Germany, the UK, Morocco and South Korea also took early action regarding the recent coup in Gabon.
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| General Brice Oligui Nguema, who was appointed Chairman of the Transitional and Institutional Restoration Commission (CTRI) of Gabon, concurrently serves as interim President. (Source: TheWill) |
On August 30, the forces leading the coup in Gabon appointed the commander of the Gabonese Republican Guard, General Brice Oligui Nguema, as Chairman of the Transitional and Institutional Restoration Committee (CTRI) and interim President during the transition. According to CTRI spokesman Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, the decision was made during a meeting attended by Gabon's commanders, chiefs of staff and military generals.
Mr. Manfoumbi said that General Nguema had ordered the reconnection of fiber optic cables and the restoration of radio and television signals, including French-language channels France 24, RFI and TV5 Monde . The CTRI spokesman also stressed the need to maintain peace in the country, as well as to preserve the stability and dignity of Gabon.
In addition, the coup forces in Gabon said that the nightly curfew, which was imposed after chaos broke out at the end of the election process, would remain in place until further notice. CTRI stated: “From tomorrow (August 31), the Gabonese people will once again be able to move freely to work between 06:00 and 18:00 (local time). The traffic restrictions will remain in effect from 18:00 to 06:00 until further notice.”
Several countries have also reacted to CTRI's rise to power.
On August 30, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling for stability in Gabon, where military officers carried out a coup and placed President Ali Bongo, a childhood friend of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, under house arrest. “Morocco is closely following the developments in the Republic of Gabon,” the statement said. The statement stressed the importance of maintaining stability in Gabon and the peace of its people. Morocco also expressed confidence that the Gabonese people and institutions will act “in the greater interest of the country, protecting its interests and meeting the aspirations of its people.”
“We call on those responsible to release and ensure the safety of government members and their families and to maintain civilian rule,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
The German Foreign Ministry stated: “The military has no right to intervene by force in the political process. The Gabonese people must have the right to autonomy and freedom to decide their own future.” On August 30, the British Foreign Office also criticized the “unconstitutional military takeover” in Gabon and called for the restoration of the constitutional government in Gabon.
For its part, South Korea issued a special travel advisory for its citizens in Gabon on August 31. According to the country's foreign ministry, the advisory urges citizens to cancel or postpone trips to Gabon and to leave if they have already been there, except for urgent matters. The advisory can be maintained for up to 90 days. The ministry said it will continue to closely monitor the situation in Gabon and consider implementing additional measures with travel advisories if necessary.
On August 30, a group of officers representing the CTRI announced that they had seized power to “end the current regime.” Earlier, Gabon’s national electoral authority said President Ali Bongo of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party had been re-elected for a third term in the August 26 election.
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