On August 25, that is, 5 days before the coup against President Ali Bongo’s rule in Gabon, the US State Department issued a statement regarding this country in central West Africa.
The brief statement, posted on the US State Department website, urged the people of Gabon to “exercise their right to vote and make their voices heard.”
The statement also stated:
Elections are an essential part of an effective democracy. All Gabonese deserve the opportunity to determine their own future without fear, persecution or threat. The US State Department stressed the importance of monitoring the elections and calling on all actors to commit themselves to free, fair and sound elections.
Despite the predominance of the diplomatic language and the lack of clarity in the statement of the Foreign Ministry, it carried with it a veiled criticism of President Bongo, who has ruled the country since 2009, and the coup against him took place moments after he announced that he had won a third presidential term.
But the manner of governance is not central to American interests in Gabon.
joint exercises
Last April, several branches of the American forces conducted joint exercises with the forces of the Gabon army.
The maneuvers sought to test the capabilities of the US military leadership in Africa in responding to crises, especially in the event that US personnel and investments need emergency intervention, and to develop defense relations with the host country, Gabon, through the exchange of knowledge.
The first deal of its kind
And in mid-August, Gabon and American institutions conducted the first deal in which the African country bartered its debts with the protection of nature.
The deal included buying back an average of $500 million of its international debt.
The matter is the purchase of state debt by a bank or investment institution, to be exchanged for cheaper loans with lower interest called blue bonds, with a credit guarantee, and the available funds are invested in nature conservation programs.
This was considered the first deal on the African continent that combined debt with nature protection.
The US International Development Finance Corporation participated in supporting the deal by insuring it against political risks.
This reinforces Gabon’s efforts to protect its marine ecosystems.
Gabon’s beaches and territorial waters are the world’s largest habitat for endangered animals such as leatherback turtles.
and Atlantic humpback dolphins.
Gabon .. a new African coup
US concerns and interests in Gabon
A document issued by the US Congressional Research Service in 2019 says that Gabon is a former oil-rich French colony located in the geostrategic Gulf of Guinea.
The document, which is a key resource for US lawmakers, argues that Gabon is a long-standing stable country in a volatile region, albeit one with authoritarian tendencies.
According to the document, US interests focus on the role of Gabon in:
Resolving regional conflicts. Maritime security, as pirate gangs spread in the Gulf in a way that disturbs international trade in the region, in addition to preserving the environment.
Long-term unrest in Gabon could challenge the United States and increase the prospect of instability in Central Africa, which is already facing several crises.
The American document did not refer to Chinese or Russian penetration in Gabon, but that does not mean that it does not exist, especially since other coups in the African continent have directed towards Beijing and Moscow.
The importance of maritime security
According to the US State Department, Libreville and Washington jointly diversify and strengthen Gabon’s economy, expand bilateral trade, ensure security in the Gulf of Guinea, and combat wildlife trafficking.
Gabon (before the $500 million deal) is a secondary recipient of US aid, as Gabon received $614,000 through the US Agency for International Development in 2017.
In 2019, Gabon requested $200,000 from the United States, all of which was allocated for military training. This African country also benefited from the American support provided regionally and internationally to maintain water security in the Gulf of Guinea, peacekeeping forces and environmental preservation.
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2023-08-30 12:32:39
