The United States of America is halting certain foreign assistance programs aiding the government of Gabon after last month’s coup.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken had disclosed this in a statement released by the U.S. State Department on Tuesday, September 26.
The assistance the U.S. will be holding back on includes diplomatic and consular operations that supports U.S. citizens.
The move is in accordance with the steps taken by the Economic Community of Central African States, the African Union, and other international associations.
Recall that Army officers in Gabon had ousted the President and taken over on August 30, repealing an election minutes after the announcement that President Ali Bongo had won the election, which had been tagged unfeasible.
Note that Ali Bongo had been in power since 2009.
Also, the junta has pldged to oversee a free and fair elections, but has not given a definite timetable for conducting them.
Prior to the coup, the Bongo family’s dynastic rule in the Central African oil producer had caused widespread discontent, with observers remarking that the Bongos did little to nothing to share Gabon’s wealth with its 2.3 million people.
The African Union has already suspended Gabon’s membership in the aftermath of the coup.
