The African Union (AU) has officially lifted its suspension of Gabon, nearly two years after the country was sidelined following a military coup in August 2023. In a statement issued Wednesday on social media platform X, the AU’s Peace and Security Council announced Gabon’s full reinstatement, citing satisfactory progress in the country’s political transition. The move paves the way for Gabon’s formal return to AU activities just days ahead of General Brice Oligui Nguema’s presidential inauguration.
Gabon was suspended after General Oligui, then head of the Republican Guard, deposed long-time president Ali Bongo Ondimba, ending over five decades of Bongo family rule. The coup followed disputed elections and allegations of electoral fraud.
In April 2025, Oligui secured an overwhelming victory in presidential elections where he faced minimal opposition, consolidating his leadership. The AU’s decision to lift sanctions is seen as tacit approval of the junta’s managed transition, despite criticisms of democratic backsliding.
Gabon’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the AU’s decision, describing it as a validation of the country’s progress toward stability and institutional reform. Meanwhile, other African nations that experienced military takeovers—including Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger—remain suspended from the AU due to their continued military rule and failure to return to constitutional governance.
