Libreville, September 06, 2023 (AGP) – The Central African President, Faustin Archange Touadéra, appointed as facilitator by his peers Heads of State of ECCAS, to support Gabon in the transition process in which it has been engaged since August 30, 2023 , stayed in Libreville from August 5 to 6, to discuss with the President of the Committee for the Transition and the Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), as well as the Living Forces of the Nation.
Of these exchanges, the facilitator appointed by the Heads of State of member countries of ECCAS, had respectively with the leaders of religious denominations, diplomats, personalities and leaders of political parties and civil society. He affirmed that the populations massively adhered to the act of seizure of power of the CTRI.
“This morning, as part of this facilitation, I met with religious denominations. We shared their point of view on the current situation. It was a very interesting meeting where we had a lot of information. We also met with the Diplomatic Corps, briefing them on the purpose of our mission and the measures. Just like the political class, with which fruitful exchanges took place. Finally, we met with civil society, which also gave us its point of view. Unanimously I think that the population appreciated the action taken by the Committee which preserved peace, avoided the bloodbath”, he declared during a press briefing animated at the presidency of the Republic.
The president of the CAR previously returned to the purpose of his mission to Libreville. That of informing about the measures taken following the two extraordinary summits held recently on the situation in Gabon.
“The conference did me the honor of appointing me as a facilitator to accompany, through solidarity, one of the objectives of our community. As a facilitator, we therefore have the mission, with the chairman of the commission, of being able to establish, in common agreement with the chairman of the transition and the Transition Committee for the restoration of institutions, to draw up a roadmap allowing therefore a rapid return to constitutional order,” he said.
“I arrived on Tuesday, to bring this information to the CTRI. And that allowed me to meet the president when I arrived. With all the members of the committee, we exchanged. We also, with the authorization of the president, had the opportunity to meet President Ali Bongo Ondimba, with whom we had discussions on his situation. These were very fruitful exchanges,” he said.
Handshake between the two authorities.
Also, he recalled the measures taken at the end of the two extraordinary summits. It appears in particular the suspension of Gabon from ECCAS, the transfer of the current presidency and the headquarters of the sub-regional organization to Equatorial Guinea.
“Gabon is a member of the Economic Community of Central African States. Since August 30, there has been an interruption of the electoral process and according to our texts, the Heads of State very quickly, out of solidarity to understand what is happening here, convened two extraordinary summits to study the consequences of these actions. With regard to our texts which govern ECCAS, the Heads of State have taken a certain number of measures. It is all of these measures that I have therefore brought to the President of the Transition and to the Transition Committee for the restoration of institutions.
“The Conference of Heads of State decided in accordance with our texts and especially the decision of the African Union, to suspend Gabon with regard to the activities of ECCAS. And from this suspension, results a certain number of actions since before August 30, 2023, it was Gabon that had the current presidency of our organization. From suspension, the Conference of Heads of State has therefore appointed President Obiang Nguéma Mbasogo as current president of our community. Gabon also hosts the headquarters of ECCAS and given that Gabon is suspended in accordance with our texts, the headquarters is temporarily transferred to Malabo, pending the return to constitutional order.”
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