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Soldiers in Gabon popped up on television in the pre-dawn hours to announce they had overthrown President Ali Bongo, just one hour after election results in the dead of night gave him a third term in office. We ask about the latest developments and who’s in charge in Libreville.
More broadly, what are the consequences of what’s now the eighth coup in Africa in just three years? What’s the path to better governance that puts citizens first and what role should the international community play?
What will be the fate of the 64-year old Bongo, who barred election observers and cut off the internet for last Saturday’s vote? And that of Gabon, an oil-rich former French colony where power has been a family affair for almost 56 years?
Prepared by François Picard, Juliette Laurain, Lauren Bain and Imen Mellaz.
