US officially concludes Gabon underwent a coup, State Department says

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Truck drivers wait near their trucks carrying food, animals and industrial equipment because of the closure of the border after the coup in Gabon, in the border town of Kye-Ossi, Cameroon August 31, 2023. REUTERS/Desire Danga Essigue/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
WASHINGTON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - The United States has concluded that a military coup has taken place in Gabon, the U.S. State Department said on Monday, adding it was suspending most U.S. assistance to the African country's government.

THE TAKE

Gabon army officers seized power, opens new tab on Aug. 30, annulling an election minutes after an announcement that President Ali Bongo had won, which they said was not credible. Bongo, in power since 2009, had succeeded his father Omar Bongo, who ruled for 42 years.
The United States said in late September it was pausing some foreign assistance programs, opens new tab benefiting the government of Gabon. On Monday, the State Department said it was suspending most U.S. assistance to the government. However, it added that humanitarian, health, and education assistance will continue.

KEY QUOTES

"The United States has concluded that a military coup d’état has taken place in Gabon," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
"Pursuant to section 7008 of the Department of State’s annual appropriations act, the United States is suspending most U.S. assistance to the Government of Gabon."

CONTEXT

The junta in Gabon had promised to oversee free and fair elections, but has not given a precise timetable for organising them.
A 24-month transition to elections in Gabon would be "reasonable" after the coup, junta-appointed Prime Minister Raymond Ndong Sima was quoted as saying by French news agency AFP in September.
The Bongo family's dynastic rule in the Central African oil producer had created widespread discontent, with critics saying the Bongos did little to share Gabon's wealth with its 2.3 million people.
The African Union suspended Gabon's membership following the coup.

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Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore

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Thomson Reuters

Kanishka Singh is a breaking news reporter for Reuters in Washington DC, who primarily covers US politics and national affairs in his current role. His past breaking news coverage has spanned across a range of topics like the Black Lives Matter movement; the US elections; the 2021 Capitol riots and their follow up probes; the Brexit deal; US-China trade tensions; the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan; the COVID-19 pandemic; and a 2019 Supreme Court verdict on a religious dispute site in his native India.

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