Title: General Brice Oligui Nguema, President of the transition of Gabon, on a diplomatic tour in the sub-region
Introduction:
General Brice Oligui Nguema, President of the transition of Gabon, continues his diplomatic tour in the sub-region of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). After visiting Guinea-Bissau, Congo-Brazzaville and the Central African Republic, he went to Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as part of his first official visit. The objective of this visit is to raise awareness among its counterparts in order to reintegrate Gabon into ECCAS, from which it has been suspended since August 30.
Meeting with President Félix Tshisekedi:
During his visit to Kinshasa, General Brice Oligui Nguema had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with President Félix Tshisekedi at the Presidential Palace. This meeting allowed the two leaders to discuss regional issues and strengthen bilateral relations between Gabon and the DRC.
Context of the transition in Gabon:
General Brice Oligui Nguema became President of Gabon’s transition following the overthrow of former President Ali Bongo by putschists on August 30, shortly after his contested re-election in the August 26 vote. Since then, Gabon has been in a period of transition, with the aim of organizing elections to allow the country to regain political stability.
The request for reintegration into ECCAS:
Gabon’s suspension from ECCAS following the regime change was a controversial decision, with some regional political analysts viewing it as contrary to the principles of the African Union (AU). However, General Brice Oligui Nguema is determined to reintegrate Gabon into this sub-regional organization and use this diplomatic tour to convince his counterparts of the relevance of this decision.
Conclusion:
The visit of General Brice Oligui Nguema to Kinshasa as part of his diplomatic tour underlines the importance of strengthening relations between the countries of the sub-region and promoting political stability. With the search for Gabon’s reintegration into ECCAS, the President of the transition aims to restore the full participation of his country in regional affairs and to contribute to the development of the Central African sub-region.