Partial Suspension of Gabon from Commonwealth Following Coup

Gabon has been partially suspended from the Commonwealth after a military coup removed President Ali Bongo from power. The decision was made by Commonwealth foreign ministers at a meeting during the United Nations general assembly. The leaders urged Gabon to uphold Commonwealth values and principles and called for credible elections to be held as soon as possible. The military ousted President Bongo shortly after he was declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election. He had been in power since 2009, succeeding his father who had ruled for 41 years. The Commonwealth ministers have requested that Gabon ensures the safety of President Bongo and his family and condemned the unconstitutional removal of the elected government. Gabon's suspension from the Commonwealth excludes them from participating in intergovernmental meetings and events. The new interim prime minister, Raymond Ndong Sima, suggested that fresh elections should be held within two years. If no progress is made within that time, Gabon may be completely removed from the group. Despite international condemnation of the coup, many Gabonese civilians have welcomed the change due to skepticism about Mr Bongo's decision to seek a third term and doubts about his leadership abilities following his stroke in October 2018.