UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday “firmly” condemned the ongoing coup attempt in Gabon, while acknowledging that “serious infringements of fundamental freedoms” appear to have taken place during elections at the weekend.
Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that the UN chief was following the evolving situation in the capital Libreville “very closely”.
Expressing his unequivocal opposition to employing military action as a solution for post-electoral crises, the Secretary-General conveyed his deep concern regarding the announcement made by Gabon’s electoral body regarding the re-election of incumbent President Ali Bongo. This concern stemmed from reports detailing serious irregularities in the voting process.
The group of officers behind the military takeover, if successful, would mark the eighth coup in West and Central Africa since 2020. Guterres reiterated his firm stance against military coups and condemned the actions of the coup leaders who had declared the election results invalid and dissolved state institutions.
Reports revealed that the coup leaders, identifying themselves as The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, had placed President Bongo under house arrest, thereby ending over fifty years of dynastic rule initiated by his father in 1967.
In response to the situation, the Secretary-General urged all parties involved to exercise restraint, engage in inclusive and meaningful dialogue, and uphold the principles of the rule of law and human rights. He further called upon the national army and security forces to ensure the safety of President Bongo and his family.
Addressing concerns raised during a press briefing in New York regarding the pattern of military coups across the region, Dujarric emphasized the importance of prevention through the investment in robust institutions, secure elections, and the protection of human rights.
The UN’s presence in Gabon includes 81 international staff and 163 national staff, all of whom were reported to be safe and secure as per the latest information. The overarching concern extended to the people of Gabon and other nations impacted by recent military coups, as these events violated their rights and destabilized the democratic progress made since the 1990s. The military takeover in Gabon was the eighth instance in West and Central Africa since 2020 and the second within the span of two months, reflecting a troubling trend erasing democratic gains and raising alarms among foreign powers with strategic interests in the region. —APP
