Commonwealth Partially Suspends Gabon Following Recent Coup

Gabon has faced partial suspension from the Commonwealth in response to the recent coup that occurred in the country a few weeks ago. This decision was reached during the 63rd Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meeting held in New York, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly sessions where member states' developments were discussed.

The meeting, chaired by Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Tourism of Samoa, gathered ministers and representatives from various Commonwealth nations, including Barbados, Canada, Ghana, Mauritius, Rwanda, Belize, Malaysia, and Malta. The collective concern of the Commonwealth was voiced regarding Gabon's political situation, strongly denouncing the unconstitutional removal of the elected government and advocating for the restoration of democracy in the nation.

The Commonwealth's decision to partially suspend Gabon entails its exclusion from the Councils of the Commonwealth and all intergovernmental meetings and events within the Commonwealth, including ministerial gatherings and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The statement released following the meeting also indicated that a full suspension could be imposed on Gabon if progress toward democracy is not made within two years.

The statement read, "The Group called upon Gabon as a Commonwealth member, to uphold the values and principles of the Commonwealth and to hold credible elections as soon as possible and within a maximum of two years from 30 August 2023. The Group called upon Gabon to guarantee the personal integrity, safety, health and human rights of former President Ali Bongo Ondimba, his family members and members of his Government."

This development underscores the international community's stance on democratic principles and the consequences for nations that deviate from these norms.