In response to the August coup that ousted the president who had ruled Gabon for over five decades, the United States has terminated all non-humanitarian aid to the nation, as confirmed by the State Department.
The State Department’s spokesperson, Matthew Miller, stated on Monday, October 23, “We emphasize that our humanitarian, health, and education assistance will continue to benefit the people of Gabon.” It was also mentioned that foreign aid to Gabon had been temporarily suspended as of September 26.
Miller added, “We will resume our aid programs in conjunction with concrete efforts by the transitional government to establish democratic governance.” The former president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, had held office for 14 years, following his father, who ruled Gabon for 41 years. A previous coup attempt in 2019 had been swiftly suppressed.
On August 30, the Gabonese military overthrew President Ali Bongo Ondimba, a move widely condemned by the international community. This came after a presidential election marred by criticism of irregularities, which declared Bongo Ondimba as the winner.
Gabon’s newly appointed prime minister, Raymond Ndong Sima, has called for a distinction between different types of coups.
In a related development, the United States also suspended counterterrorism assistance and military training in Niger more than two months after a group of mutinous soldiers seized power in that nation.
