AU suspends Gabon after coup and calls for restoration of constitutional order.

The African Union (AU) has suspended Gabon from the continental bloc following the military coup that ousted President Ali Bongo on Wednesday. The AU’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) said it strongly condemned the “military takeover of power” in Gabon and demanded the “immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order” in the country.

The PSC, which met on Thursday to discuss the situation in Gabon, said it decided to “immediately suspend the participation of Gabon in all activities of the AU, its organs, and institutions until the restoration of constitutional order in the country.” It also called on the AU Commission to “urgently dispatch a high-level delegation to Gabon to assess the situation and report back to the PSC.

The PSC expressed its “deep concern” over the security and humanitarian situation in Gabon, where clashes between the coup leaders and loyalist forces have reportedly resulted in several deaths and injuries. It urged all parties to “exercise utmost restraint and refrain from any acts of violence that could further destabilise the country and endanger the lives of civilians.

The PSC also appealed to the international community, especially the United Nations, the European Union, and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), to “support the efforts of the AU in finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the crisis in Gabon.

The coup in Gabon came after disputed elections held last weekend, in which Bongo was declared the winner with 51.7% of the vote, while his main challenger, former prime minister Jean Ping, claimed victory with 48.2%. The opposition alleged fraud and irregularities in the vote count and demanded a recount.

On Wednesday, a group of military officers led by General Brice Oligui Nguema announced on state television that they had seized power and formed a Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) to “save Gabon from chaos.” They said they had placed Bongo under house arrest and accused him of “usurping power” and “plunging the country into a deep social crisis.

The coup leaders said Nguema would be sworn in as “transitional president” on Monday at the constitutional court and would oversee a “national dialogue” to prepare for new elections within 18 months. They also pledged to respect Gabon’s commitments at home and abroad and to guarantee the physical integrity of Bongo 4.

However, Bongo’s spokesman, Ike Ngouoni, said on Thursday that the president was “safe and sound” and that loyalist forces had regained control of strategic sites in Libreville, the capital, including the presidential palace, the airport, and the state broadcaster. He also said that most of the coup plotters had been arrested or neutralised by security forces.