Gabon’s army strongman, a ‘Caesar’ caring for his men
By AFP
August 30, 2023
Nguema was held aloft triumphantly by his troops following the announcement of the coup -
Who is the general named as Gabon's transition leader?
General Brice Oligui Nguema, named Gabon's new leader following a coup, served the central African country's longtime strongman before turning on his son in Wednesday's military takeover.
REUTERS
Held aloft triumphantly by his troops following the announcement of the coup that ended 55 years of rule by the Bongo family, Nguema is experienced and popular among his peers. / Photo: Reuters
Gabon's military junta has named General Brice Oligui Nguema as transition leader following the apparent ouster of President Ali Bongo.
Here are some facts about him.
Background
Nguema is from Gabon's south-easternmost province of Haut-Ogooue, which borders the Republic of Congo.
Bongo is also from the same part of the country.
He replaced Bongo's stepbrother as head of Gabon's Republican Guard in October 2019.
The elite force is in charge of protecting the president, his family and other high-profile figures.
Anti-corruption mandate
Shortly after he took on the new role in 2019, Nguema launched an operation named "clean hands" to crack down on alleged state-led embezzlement.
Properties in US
Nguema was named in a 2020 investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, a global network of investigative journalists, which alleged that some members of the Bongo family and their inner circle purchased expensive property in the United States with stashes of cash.
The Bongo family has ruled oil-rich Gabon for over half a century.
None of the accused replied to requests for comment.
Reason behind coup
While Nguema himself has not read out any statements, he was among the officers who first announced the coup.
The group, which calls itself the Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, said the August 26 election was not credible and that Gabon faced a "severe institutional, political, economic, and social crisis."
In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde on Wednesday, Nguema said people in Gabon were frustrated with their government.
He noted Bongo's ill health following a stroke in 2018 and said the president's run for a third term breached the constitution.
"Everyone talks about this, but no one takes responsibility," he said. "So the army decided to turn the page."
General Brice Oligui Nguema, named Gabon's new leader following a coup, served the central African country's longtime strongman before turning on his son in Wednesday's military takeover.
REUTERS
Held aloft triumphantly by his troops following the announcement of the coup that ended 55 years of rule by the Bongo family, Nguema is experienced and popular among his peers. / Photo: Reuters
Gabon's military junta has named General Brice Oligui Nguema as transition leader following the apparent ouster of President Ali Bongo.
Here are some facts about him.
Background
Nguema is from Gabon's south-easternmost province of Haut-Ogooue, which borders the Republic of Congo.
Bongo is also from the same part of the country.
He replaced Bongo's stepbrother as head of Gabon's Republican Guard in October 2019.
The elite force is in charge of protecting the president, his family and other high-profile figures.
Anti-corruption mandate
Shortly after he took on the new role in 2019, Nguema launched an operation named "clean hands" to crack down on alleged state-led embezzlement.
Properties in US
Nguema was named in a 2020 investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, a global network of investigative journalists, which alleged that some members of the Bongo family and their inner circle purchased expensive property in the United States with stashes of cash.
The Bongo family has ruled oil-rich Gabon for over half a century.
None of the accused replied to requests for comment.
Reason behind coup
While Nguema himself has not read out any statements, he was among the officers who first announced the coup.
The group, which calls itself the Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, said the August 26 election was not credible and that Gabon faced a "severe institutional, political, economic, and social crisis."
In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde on Wednesday, Nguema said people in Gabon were frustrated with their government.
He noted Bongo's ill health following a stroke in 2018 and said the president's run for a third term breached the constitution.
"Everyone talks about this, but no one takes responsibility," he said. "So the army decided to turn the page."
Analysis
Why Gabon’s coup plotters can count on popular support
A strong desire for change – even if it comes wearing combat fatigues – is feeding Africa’s series of putsches
Why Gabon’s coup plotters can count on popular support
A strong desire for change – even if it comes wearing combat fatigues – is feeding Africa’s series of putsches
Wed 30 Aug 2023
The routine is now very familiar: the sudden putsch, the president confined, the nocturnal statement by new, camouflaged rulers. Today it is the turn of Gabon to wake up to find a military coup has brought sudden and unexpected political upheaval in a country that had been considered relatively stable.
On this occasion, the men in uniform introduced themselves as members of the Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions. If successful, the coup will be the eighth in west and central Africa since 2020 to lead to a violent – or at least coerced – change in regime. The most recent was last month in Niger.
Soldiers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and Sudan in the past two years. Now other leaders of Gabon’s neighbouring states will feel threatened – notably Denis Sassou Nguesso in Congo-Brazzaville – and with some justification.
So far, the ousting of President Ali Bongo Ondimba after 14 years in power appears to have significant popular support, although it is difficult to tell so early. This would not be surprising. Many of the military coups in recent years have been greeted by enthusiastic public celebrations. Some have been organised for the media to win swift legitimacy, but many have been spontaneous outbursts of excitement at the simple prospect of change.
Few doubt Gabon needed a shake-up. The president inherited power from his father, who ruled from 1967 until his death in 2009. Gabon, a member of the Opec oil cartel, with a production of 181,000 barrels of crude a day, should be relatively properous. Yet the quality of life of the vast proportion of its 2 million inhabitants speaks volumes about the decades of mismanagement, clientelism, corruption and blatant political rigging that the Bongo dynasty brought.
The exact motivation for the takeover will soon become clear. It is unlikely to be the protection of Gabon’s institutions from security or other threats, as the new apparent rulers claimed in their first address. The lack of concerted regional, African or global response to the other recent coups is likely to have been a major factor in the soldiers’ decision to gamble their lives and livelihoods on a grab for power.
This failure has been more obvious than ever in recent weeks. Threats of military intervention from Ecowas, the west African regional block, have yet to help restore Mohamed Bazoum, the democratically elected president of Niger ousted in July, and sanctions are not having much effect either. Military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso appear entrenched. And in Sudan, the biggest threat to the military factions that seized power in 2021 is one another.
In the case of Gabon, the military can count on popular support and that of the opposition. A recent United Nations development programme survey of thousands of people living in countries where coups had recently occurred found strong democratic aspirations. This is true elsewhere, too, and is being reinforced as Africa becomes more urban and educated. But above all, there is a desire for change as soon as possible – even if this means it comes wearing combat fatigues.
There is a wider trends to watch as well. Many of the recent coups are in former French colonies, and one cause is undoubtedly the revived memory of long, exploitative rule from Paris. Africa watchers have long worried about the inherent instability of the system left by Paris after it ended its direct colonial control across a swath of the continent. This toxic mix of political manipulation, financial control, military intervention, extractive commercial enterprise and cosy relations between elites is far from unique to Francophone Africa but is very entrenched there, even today.
Gabon, too, was a French colony – as recalled by Emmanuel Macron when he met the French-educated Bongo in Paris in late June. The photos of the two presidents shaking hands may not have done either much good.
Every coup is different but many outcomes resemble one another. The new leaders of Gabon will almost certainly follow the same path as their counterparts further north and announce a “transition period” before new elections, which will not be held for a long time. In the meantime, tearful pleas by Bongo from his official residence, to which he is now confined, for supporters to “make some noise” are likely to fall on deaf ears.
The routine is now very familiar: the sudden putsch, the president confined, the nocturnal statement by new, camouflaged rulers. Today it is the turn of Gabon to wake up to find a military coup has brought sudden and unexpected political upheaval in a country that had been considered relatively stable.
On this occasion, the men in uniform introduced themselves as members of the Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions. If successful, the coup will be the eighth in west and central Africa since 2020 to lead to a violent – or at least coerced – change in regime. The most recent was last month in Niger.
Soldiers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and Sudan in the past two years. Now other leaders of Gabon’s neighbouring states will feel threatened – notably Denis Sassou Nguesso in Congo-Brazzaville – and with some justification.
So far, the ousting of President Ali Bongo Ondimba after 14 years in power appears to have significant popular support, although it is difficult to tell so early. This would not be surprising. Many of the military coups in recent years have been greeted by enthusiastic public celebrations. Some have been organised for the media to win swift legitimacy, but many have been spontaneous outbursts of excitement at the simple prospect of change.
Few doubt Gabon needed a shake-up. The president inherited power from his father, who ruled from 1967 until his death in 2009. Gabon, a member of the Opec oil cartel, with a production of 181,000 barrels of crude a day, should be relatively properous. Yet the quality of life of the vast proportion of its 2 million inhabitants speaks volumes about the decades of mismanagement, clientelism, corruption and blatant political rigging that the Bongo dynasty brought.
The exact motivation for the takeover will soon become clear. It is unlikely to be the protection of Gabon’s institutions from security or other threats, as the new apparent rulers claimed in their first address. The lack of concerted regional, African or global response to the other recent coups is likely to have been a major factor in the soldiers’ decision to gamble their lives and livelihoods on a grab for power.
This failure has been more obvious than ever in recent weeks. Threats of military intervention from Ecowas, the west African regional block, have yet to help restore Mohamed Bazoum, the democratically elected president of Niger ousted in July, and sanctions are not having much effect either. Military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso appear entrenched. And in Sudan, the biggest threat to the military factions that seized power in 2021 is one another.
In the case of Gabon, the military can count on popular support and that of the opposition. A recent United Nations development programme survey of thousands of people living in countries where coups had recently occurred found strong democratic aspirations. This is true elsewhere, too, and is being reinforced as Africa becomes more urban and educated. But above all, there is a desire for change as soon as possible – even if this means it comes wearing combat fatigues.
There is a wider trends to watch as well. Many of the recent coups are in former French colonies, and one cause is undoubtedly the revived memory of long, exploitative rule from Paris. Africa watchers have long worried about the inherent instability of the system left by Paris after it ended its direct colonial control across a swath of the continent. This toxic mix of political manipulation, financial control, military intervention, extractive commercial enterprise and cosy relations between elites is far from unique to Francophone Africa but is very entrenched there, even today.
Gabon, too, was a French colony – as recalled by Emmanuel Macron when he met the French-educated Bongo in Paris in late June. The photos of the two presidents shaking hands may not have done either much good.
Every coup is different but many outcomes resemble one another. The new leaders of Gabon will almost certainly follow the same path as their counterparts further north and announce a “transition period” before new elections, which will not be held for a long time. In the meantime, tearful pleas by Bongo from his official residence, to which he is now confined, for supporters to “make some noise” are likely to fall on deaf ears.
Army officers say toppled Gabon govt
Libreville (AFP) – Military officers announced on Wednesday overturning the government in Gabon, in an apparent coup targeting President Ali Bongo Ondimba who has been in power for 14 years and whose re-election was just announced.
Issued on: 30/08/2023 -
Libreville (AFP) – Military officers announced on Wednesday overturning the government in Gabon, in an apparent coup targeting President Ali Bongo Ondimba who has been in power for 14 years and whose re-election was just announced.
Issued on: 30/08/2023 -
The address was read by an officer flanked by a group of a dozen army colonels, members of the elite Republican Guard, regular soldiers
© - / Gabon 24/AFP
The status of Ali Bongo, whose family has ruled the oil-rich African country for over 55 years, was not immediately clear but the area around his residence appeared to be quiet.
While the officers made their televised statement announcing the cancellation of the vote results one of the officers said "all the institutions of the republic" had been dissolved.
The address was read by an officer flanked by a group of a dozen army colonels, members of the elite Republican Guard, regular soldiers and others.
It came moments after the national election authority said Bongo, 64, had won a third term in Saturday's election with 64.27 percent of the vote.
Bongo has been in power for 14 years, after being first elected in 2009 following the death of his father who had ruled the country for 41 years.
Gabon © Jean-Michel CORNU / AFP
The announcement came in the middle of an overnight curfew and amid a nationwide internet shutdown, imposed by Bongo's government as polling drew to a close on Saturday to prevent the spread of "false news" and possible violence.
Internet was restored on Wednesday morning after the TV address.
"Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic and social crisis," the officer said on TV channel Gabon 24.
He said the recent election "did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon."
"We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime," the officer said, adding that he was speaking on behalf of the "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions".
"To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled," he added.
The announcement came in the middle of an overnight curfew and amid a nationwide internet shutdown, imposed by Bongo's government as polling drew to a close on Saturday to prevent the spread of "false news" and possible violence.
Internet was restored on Wednesday morning after the TV address.
"Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic and social crisis," the officer said on TV channel Gabon 24.
He said the recent election "did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon."
"We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime," the officer said, adding that he was speaking on behalf of the "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions".
"To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled," he added.
'Fraud' accusation
"All the institutions of the republic are dissolved: the government, the Senate, the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court," he added, announcing the closure of the country's borders "until further notice".
Bongo and his main rival Albert Ondo Ossa led a race of 14 candidates vying for the top job in the oil-rich central African state.
According to the results issued prior to the officers' announcement, Ondo Ossa won just 30.77 percent of the vote.
Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba Bongo has been in power for 14 years in the oil-rich West African country
© LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
Before polls closed on Saturday, he had accused Bongo of "fraud" while claiming he was the rightful winner.
On Monday, Ondo Ossa's campaign manager Mike Jocktane called on Bongo to hand over power "without bloodshed", insisting a partial count had Ondo Ossa clearly ahead, without providing any proof.
The elections in Gabon -- presidential, legislative and municipal -- went ahead without the presence of election observers.
The country's broadcasting authority had also provisionally banned the French channels France 24, Radio France Internationale (RFI) and TV5Monde, accusing them of "a lack of objectivity and balance" in election coverage.
Gabonese law forbids any publication of partial results pending the final result which only the Gabonese Elections Centre, the body that organises the polls, is legally allowed to publish.
Paris said it was following events in Gabon with "the greatest attention".
China also said it was "closely following the developing situation" and called for the safety of Bongo to be "guaranteed".
Family ruler
Gabon has been ruled by the same family for more than 55 out of its 63 years since independence from France in 1960.
Before polls closed on Saturday, he had accused Bongo of "fraud" while claiming he was the rightful winner.
On Monday, Ondo Ossa's campaign manager Mike Jocktane called on Bongo to hand over power "without bloodshed", insisting a partial count had Ondo Ossa clearly ahead, without providing any proof.
The elections in Gabon -- presidential, legislative and municipal -- went ahead without the presence of election observers.
The country's broadcasting authority had also provisionally banned the French channels France 24, Radio France Internationale (RFI) and TV5Monde, accusing them of "a lack of objectivity and balance" in election coverage.
Gabonese law forbids any publication of partial results pending the final result which only the Gabonese Elections Centre, the body that organises the polls, is legally allowed to publish.
Paris said it was following events in Gabon with "the greatest attention".
China also said it was "closely following the developing situation" and called for the safety of Bongo to be "guaranteed".
Family ruler
Gabon has been ruled by the same family for more than 55 out of its 63 years since independence from France in 1960.
According to the results issued prior to the officers' announcement, Ondo Ossa won just 30.77 percent of the vote
© Steeve JORDAN / AFP
Bongo's father Omar was one of France's closest allies in the post-colonial era and his son has long been a regular in Paris, where his family owns an extensive real estate portfolio that is being investigated by anti-corruption magistrates.
Paris maintains a military presence in many of its former territories -- including Gabon where it has 370 soldiers permanently deployed, some in the capital Libreville, according to the French defence ministry website.
During a speech in Libreville in March, French President Emmanuel Macron denied any French ambitions to interfere in Africa, saying that the age of meddling was "well over."
The French mining group Eramet, which employs 8,000 people in Gabon, said that it had halted activities in the country "for the safety of staff and the security of operations".
Bongo's father Omar was one of France's closest allies in the post-colonial era and his son has long been a regular in Paris, where his family owns an extensive real estate portfolio that is being investigated by anti-corruption magistrates.
Paris maintains a military presence in many of its former territories -- including Gabon where it has 370 soldiers permanently deployed, some in the capital Libreville, according to the French defence ministry website.
During a speech in Libreville in March, French President Emmanuel Macron denied any French ambitions to interfere in Africa, saying that the age of meddling was "well over."
The French mining group Eramet, which employs 8,000 people in Gabon, said that it had halted activities in the country "for the safety of staff and the security of operations".
Gabon military officers claim to have seized power, election results annulled
Issued on: 30/08/2023 -
A group of senior Gabonese military officers appeared on television in the early hours of Wednesday to announce the suspension of elections and the closing of borders shortly after the election commission said President Ali Bongo had won a third term.
President Ali Bongo has won a third term in the presidential election with 64.27% of the vote, the Gabonese Election Centre (CGE) said on Wednesday, after a delay-plagued general election that the opposition has denounced as fraudulent.
Issued on: 30/08/2023 - 06:26
Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba delivers a speech at the Nzang Ayong stadium in Libreville on July 10, 2023.
© Steeve Jordan, AFP
Announcing the result in the early hours, CGE head Michel Stephane Bonda said Bongo's main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, had come in second place with 30.77%. Bongo's team have rejected Ondo Ossa's allegations of electoral irregularities.
Tensions are running high amid fears of unrest after Saturday's presidential , parliamentary, and legislative vote, which saw Bongo seeking to extend his family's 56-year grip on power while the opposition pushed for change in the oil-rich but poverty-stricken Central African nation.
A lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts, and the authorities' decision to cut internet service and impose a nighttime curfew nationwide after the poll has raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.
Announcing the result in the early hours, CGE head Michel Stephane Bonda said Bongo's main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, had come in second place with 30.77%. Bongo's team have rejected Ondo Ossa's allegations of electoral irregularities.
Tensions are running high amid fears of unrest after Saturday's presidential , parliamentary, and legislative vote, which saw Bongo seeking to extend his family's 56-year grip on power while the opposition pushed for change in the oil-rich but poverty-stricken Central African nation.
A lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts, and the authorities' decision to cut internet service and impose a nighttime curfew nationwide after the poll has raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.
Ali Bongo, scion of Gabon's ruling family
Libreville (Gabon) (AFP) – Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, whose ouster has been announced by rebel officers, came to power in 2009, succeeding his father Omar, the country's ruler for more than four decades.
Issued on: 30/08/2023
Libreville (Gabon) (AFP) – Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, whose ouster has been announced by rebel officers, came to power in 2009, succeeding his father Omar, the country's ruler for more than four decades.
Issued on: 30/08/2023
President Ali Bongo has bounced back from a 2018 stroke that sidelined him for 10 months
© LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP/File
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Prior to Wednesday's dramatic announcement, Bongo's spell in office was marked by disputed elections and a stroke that spurred rumours about his fitness for office and fuelled a minor attempted coup.
The 64-year-old had hoped to leave his doubters on the back foot as he battled for a third term in presidential elections last Saturday.
He carried out a whirlwind national tour, made high-profile foreign visits and pitched Gabon's credentials as a proclaimed guardian of the forests.
After a vote that the opposition said they had won, the national election authority early Wednesday declared Bongo the victor with 64.27 percent of the vote.
Just an hour or so later, a group of army officers made a televised address saying they were "putting an end to the current regime", dissolving all of Gabon's institutions and declaring the election results void.
ADVERTISING
Prior to Wednesday's dramatic announcement, Bongo's spell in office was marked by disputed elections and a stroke that spurred rumours about his fitness for office and fuelled a minor attempted coup.
The 64-year-old had hoped to leave his doubters on the back foot as he battled for a third term in presidential elections last Saturday.
He carried out a whirlwind national tour, made high-profile foreign visits and pitched Gabon's credentials as a proclaimed guardian of the forests.
After a vote that the opposition said they had won, the national election authority early Wednesday declared Bongo the victor with 64.27 percent of the vote.
Just an hour or so later, a group of army officers made a televised address saying they were "putting an end to the current regime", dissolving all of Gabon's institutions and declaring the election results void.
'Monsieur Fils'
The upheaval provided a stark contrast to Bongo's gilded start in life as carefree scion of the wealthy ruling family.
He was born to a teenage girl, Josephine Kama, in the Congolese city of Brazzaville, which at the time was still part of France's rapidly shrinking colonial empire.
Oil-rich Gabon, its capital Libreville and second city Port-Gentil
© Jean-Michel CORNU / AFP
To many Gabonese, the young man was known by his initials of ABO, Ali B -- or, less flattering, as "Monsieur Fils" (Mr. Son).
He nurtured ambitions as an aspiring funk singer -- in 1977 he recorded an album, now a YouTube curiosity, featuring top-class musicians and entitled "A Brand New Man".
But within three years, shepherded by his father, he abandoned the path of entertainment and entered politics, renaming himself Ali Bongo and converting to Islam like his parent.
Oil wealth
Bongo senior, who took office in 1967, had the reputation of a kleptocrat -- one of the wealthiest men in the world, with a fortune derived from Gabon's oil.
He was also a pillar of "FrancAfrique" -- a now much-contested strategy by which France bound itself to its former African colonies through cronyism, often tainted with corruption and rights abuses.
To many Gabonese, the young man was known by his initials of ABO, Ali B -- or, less flattering, as "Monsieur Fils" (Mr. Son).
He nurtured ambitions as an aspiring funk singer -- in 1977 he recorded an album, now a YouTube curiosity, featuring top-class musicians and entitled "A Brand New Man".
But within three years, shepherded by his father, he abandoned the path of entertainment and entered politics, renaming himself Ali Bongo and converting to Islam like his parent.
Oil wealth
Bongo senior, who took office in 1967, had the reputation of a kleptocrat -- one of the wealthiest men in the world, with a fortune derived from Gabon's oil.
He was also a pillar of "FrancAfrique" -- a now much-contested strategy by which France bound itself to its former African colonies through cronyism, often tainted with corruption and rights abuses.
French connection: Omar Bongo with France's then president, Francois Mitterrand, in 1983
© Dominique FAGET / AFP
Bongo worked as his father's faithful lieutenant, travelling the globe and forging contacts at the time of the second oil boom.
But to his detractors, Bongo lacked his father's charm and communication skills.
He attended some of Brazzaville's top schools and studied law in France but did not learn any of Gabon's local languages -- a major disadvantage.
And because he had been born abroad and out of wedlock, he also fought for years against rumours that he was a foreigner who had been adopted.
His lavish spending, especially on luxury cars, also raised eyebrows in a country where oil wealth contrasts with widespread poverty.
In 1989, he was appointed foreign minister aged just 30 but had to step down two years later when a new constitution stipulated that cabinet members had to be at least 35.
He was back in government by 1999, heading the defence ministry.
There he remained until shortly before the start of the election campaign caused by his father's death in 2009.
Bongo worked as his father's faithful lieutenant, travelling the globe and forging contacts at the time of the second oil boom.
But to his detractors, Bongo lacked his father's charm and communication skills.
He attended some of Brazzaville's top schools and studied law in France but did not learn any of Gabon's local languages -- a major disadvantage.
And because he had been born abroad and out of wedlock, he also fought for years against rumours that he was a foreigner who had been adopted.
His lavish spending, especially on luxury cars, also raised eyebrows in a country where oil wealth contrasts with widespread poverty.
In 1989, he was appointed foreign minister aged just 30 but had to step down two years later when a new constitution stipulated that cabinet members had to be at least 35.
He was back in government by 1999, heading the defence ministry.
There he remained until shortly before the start of the election campaign caused by his father's death in 2009.
Renewal
The handover was not a surprise, given the years of grooming and Bongo's own ambitions, despite some opposition within the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG).
In 2016, Bongo was re-elected by 5,500 votes, edging out opposition challenger Jean Ping after a campaign marred by bloody clashes and allegations of fraud.
Pitching to a country that had been run for decades by his family, Bongo tried the difficult task of posing as an agent of change -- packing each speech with pledges of "renewal" and "innovation".
A stroke in 2018 sidelined him from public life for 10 months and led to a very brief, and still unexplained, attempt on power by soldiers.
After a long convalescence, he embarked on an image revamp, putting himself forward as a man of rigour bent on rooting out "traitors" and "profiteers" in his inner circle.
He also unveiled a string of projects, including diversifying the economy, opening up markets to Asian investors, trimming the state sector and promoting Gabon's environmental treasures.
Bongo married French-born Sylvia Bongo Ondimba in 1989. They have four children.
Gabon coup attempt follows military takeovers in former French colonies in Africa
A group of senior military officers in Gabon announced on national television on Wednesday they had taken power and election results were annulled, just minutes after President Ali Bongo was declared to have won a third term. If successful the coup would represent the eighth since 2020 in West and Central Africa, a region that in the last decade had made strides to shed its reputation as a "coup belt", only for persistent insecurity and corruption to open the door to military leaders.
Issued on: 30/08/2023 - 11:28
Niger
In July 2023, members of Niger's presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum inside his palace and appeared on national television saying they were seizing power to end the "deteriorating security situation and bad governance."
Days later the junta declared the head of the presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tiani, the new head of state, raising concerns about the security of a region where Niger has been a key ally of Western powers seeking to contain insurgencies by groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
'In the fight against jihadist groups, Niger has no better allies than France and the US'
The main West African bloc ECOWAS has been trying to negotiate with the coup leaders but said it was ready to send troops into Niger to restore constitutional order if diplomatic efforts failed.
Niger has authorised Mali and Burkina Faso's armed forces to intervene on its territory in case of an attack.
Burkina Faso
In January 2022, Burkina Faso's army ousted President Roch Kabore, blaming him for failing to contain violence by Islamist militants.
Coup leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba pledged to restore security, but attacks worsened, eroding morale in the armed forces that led to a second coup in September 2022 when current junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power.
Guinea (Conakry)
In September 2021, special forces commander Colonel Mamady Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Conde. A year earlier, Conde had changed the constitution to circumvent limits that would have prevented him from standing for a third term, triggering widespread rioting.
Doumbouya became interim president and promised a transition to democratic elections within three years.
Guinea’s would-be ‘Mandela’ was an agent and casualty of democratic backsliding
ECOWAS rejected the timeline and imposed sanctions on junta members and their relatives, including freezing their bank accounts.
The military regime later proposed to start the 24-month transition in January 2023, but opposition parties say it has done little to put in place institutions and a roadmap to return to constitutional rule.
Chad
In April 2021, Chad's army took power after President Idriss Deby was killed on the battlefield while visiting troops fighting rebels in the north.
Under Chadian law, the speaker of parliament should have become president. But a military council stepped in and dissolved parliament in the name of ensuring stability.
Deby's son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, was named interim president and tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition to elections.
The unconstitutional transfer of power led to riots in the capital N'Djamena that were but down by the military.
Mali
In August 2020, a group of Malian colonels led by Assimi Goita ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The coup followed anti-government protests over deteriorating security, contested legislative elections and allegations of corruption.
Under pressure from Mali's West African neighbours, the junta agreed to cede power to a civilian-led interim government tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition to democratic elections to be held in February 2022.
Mali’s junta seeks review of ‘unbalanced’ defence deal with France
But the coup leaders clashed with the interim president, retired colonel Bah Ndaw, and engineered a second coup in May 2021. Goita, who had served as interim vice president, was elevated to the presidency.
ECOWAS lifted some of the sanctions on Mali after the military rulers proposed a two-year transition to democracy and published a new electoral law. The country is scheduled to hold a presidential election in February 2024 to return to constitutional rule.
A group of senior military officers in Gabon announced on national television on Wednesday they had taken power and election results were annulled, just minutes after President Ali Bongo was declared to have won a third term. If successful the coup would represent the eighth since 2020 in West and Central Africa, a region that in the last decade had made strides to shed its reputation as a "coup belt", only for persistent insecurity and corruption to open the door to military leaders.
Issued on: 30/08/2023 - 11:28
Niger
In July 2023, members of Niger's presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum inside his palace and appeared on national television saying they were seizing power to end the "deteriorating security situation and bad governance."
Days later the junta declared the head of the presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tiani, the new head of state, raising concerns about the security of a region where Niger has been a key ally of Western powers seeking to contain insurgencies by groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
'In the fight against jihadist groups, Niger has no better allies than France and the US'
The main West African bloc ECOWAS has been trying to negotiate with the coup leaders but said it was ready to send troops into Niger to restore constitutional order if diplomatic efforts failed.
Niger has authorised Mali and Burkina Faso's armed forces to intervene on its territory in case of an attack.
Burkina Faso
In January 2022, Burkina Faso's army ousted President Roch Kabore, blaming him for failing to contain violence by Islamist militants.
Coup leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba pledged to restore security, but attacks worsened, eroding morale in the armed forces that led to a second coup in September 2022 when current junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power.
Guinea (Conakry)
In September 2021, special forces commander Colonel Mamady Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Conde. A year earlier, Conde had changed the constitution to circumvent limits that would have prevented him from standing for a third term, triggering widespread rioting.
Doumbouya became interim president and promised a transition to democratic elections within three years.
Guinea’s would-be ‘Mandela’ was an agent and casualty of democratic backsliding
ECOWAS rejected the timeline and imposed sanctions on junta members and their relatives, including freezing their bank accounts.
The military regime later proposed to start the 24-month transition in January 2023, but opposition parties say it has done little to put in place institutions and a roadmap to return to constitutional rule.
Chad
In April 2021, Chad's army took power after President Idriss Deby was killed on the battlefield while visiting troops fighting rebels in the north.
Under Chadian law, the speaker of parliament should have become president. But a military council stepped in and dissolved parliament in the name of ensuring stability.
Deby's son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, was named interim president and tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition to elections.
The unconstitutional transfer of power led to riots in the capital N'Djamena that were but down by the military.
Mali
In August 2020, a group of Malian colonels led by Assimi Goita ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The coup followed anti-government protests over deteriorating security, contested legislative elections and allegations of corruption.
Under pressure from Mali's West African neighbours, the junta agreed to cede power to a civilian-led interim government tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition to democratic elections to be held in February 2022.
Mali’s junta seeks review of ‘unbalanced’ defence deal with France
But the coup leaders clashed with the interim president, retired colonel Bah Ndaw, and engineered a second coup in May 2021. Goita, who had served as interim vice president, was elevated to the presidency.
ECOWAS lifted some of the sanctions on Mali after the military rulers proposed a two-year transition to democracy and published a new electoral law. The country is scheduled to hold a presidential election in February 2024 to return to constitutional rule.
© 2023 AFP
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