Gabon's General Nguema seeks for lifting of sanctions.
Gabon's coup leader, Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema, in a meeting on Sunday, 1st October,2023, held talks with the Congolese President, Dennis Sassou Nguesso in a bid to end the sanctions and international isolation imposed on Gabon.
Recall that Gen. Nguema had earlier seized power from President Ali Bongo, whose family had ruled Gabon for 56 years until August 30,2023. The 48-year-old general appeared to be a man of the people, an impression gotten from images where he was held aloft by his fellow soldiers, but to many, he is an unexpected leader.
The talks are coming weeks after Gabon's membership of the African Union and Central African region bloc, also known as ECCAS, was suspended sequel to the coup. It was also reported that ECCAS moved its headquarters from Gabon to Equatorial Guinea after the coup. The suspension of Gabon from ECCAS was reported to be a significant development in the region, shedding light on the ongoing challenges surrounding leadership, governance, and stability in Central Africa.
The president’s visit on Sunday to the Republic of Congo was aimed at strengthening ties with its neighbor and ending Gabon's isolation within the region and globally.
Gen. Nguema after the meeting with President Nguessso said, " I have come to consult with the president, who, for our country is key in the region, who can relay to global authorities what we have done and it is also to ease sanctions so that we can take our place among nations."
