Two days after the African Union (AU) suspended Gabon following last Wednesday’s coup that ousted President Ali Bongo, Central African regional bloc, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) has also suspended the country’s membership.
The decision, which was reached during an extraordinary summit in Djibloho, Equatorial Guinea, also called on the Gabonese military junta to reinstate Bongo and restore democratic rule in the country.
The extraordinary summit, which was chaired by Equatorial Guinea President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, said the only condition that would re-admit it is for the coup leaders to return to constitutional order so that all the “institutions in the country can function.”
ECCAS added that it expected the international and regional communities to help Gabon out of difficult times, without giving details on what the help would be or how it would be carried out.
The ECASS meeting had in attendance Presidents Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, Joao Lourenco of Angola, Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic, as well as Sao Tome and Principe Prime Minister, Patrice Trovoada, and a representative of Cameroonian President Paul Biya.
Countries that did not attend the summit were Chad, Burundi, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo and Rwanda, who are all members of the regional body.
In a communique read by Chad’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the ECASS members said Gabon had an obligation under international law to protect all citizens and ensure a quick return to civilian rule.
Annadif said the summit designated Central African Republic President, Faustin-Archange Touadera to negotiate with Gabon’s military junta to hand over power.
He added that all member states had agreed that more sanctions would be meted out on Gabon should the military junta fail to hand over to civilian rule soonest.