The Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department (PAPS) of the African Union (AU) has strongly condemned the "military takeover of power" in Gabon, the Commission said in a statement posted on X.

As of August 30, PAPS has 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," the Department's post on X read.

This follows an AU Peace and Security Council meeting that took place on Thursday, discussing the newest developments in Gabon.

The announcement followed an AU Peace and Security Council meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation in Gabon.

1/2) Council strongly condemns the military takeover of power in the Republic of #Gabon which ousted President Ali Bongo @PresidentABO on 30 August 2023; Decides to immediately suspend the participation of #Gabon in all activities of the #AU, its organs and institutions.. pic.twitter.com/xQVmTyFrWR

— African Union Political Affairs Peace and Security (@AUC_PAPS) August 31, 2023

The meeting of the African Union Commission was headed by Bankole Adeoye, the head of political affairs for the African bloc, as well as Willy Nyamitwe, the current holder of the council's rotating chair.

A military junta in Gabon, led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, had ousted the country's President Ali Bongo on Wednesday, marking the 6th coup in 3 years in former French colonies.

The AU's decision comes shortly after the coup leaders announced that General Nguema would be sworn in on Monday at the presidential palace as the country's transitional president.

The army vowed to "respect all commitments" at home and abroad and "phase in transitional institutions," Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, spokesperson for Gabon's newly formed Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), stated on state TV on Thursday, a day after Bongo was overthrown.

Manfoumbi assured "all donors, development partners, and the state's creditors that all measures will be taken to guarantee that" Gabon's commitments will be respected.

Allegations of fraud end the Bongo dynasty

The coup took place on Wednesday, just after the electoral commission in Gabon announced that Bongo had won a third term in office. The announcement was met with widespread protests, and the military stepped in to restore order.

Bongo secured 64% of the votes according to official results; however, the election's integrity has been put into doubt by the junta, the opposition, and an advisor to the ousted President himself.

Mark Pursey, a British political consultant who advised Bongo's re-election campaign polling over the past 18 months, showed that France was deeply unpopular among the majority of Gabonese.

The military coup series continues in #Africa as the Gabonese junta depose President Ali Bongo. pic.twitter.com/EIMIay4NAV

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 30, 2023

"When you ask the general population, they have a very bad opinion of France," he said. "Not good at all toward French politicians, French geopolitics as well," he said.

Pursey said his firm's polling had pointed to an election victory for Bongo in recent months, but that he was surprised by the large margin he managed to get. Albert Ondo Ossa, Bongo's main challenger, came in second place with 31% of the vote, according to the official results.

In addition to anti-French sentiment, Pursey said the polling picked up on concerns about the health of the President, who suffered a stroke a few years ago, and tiredness over his family's long rule. Bongo became President after the 2009 death of his father, Omar Bongo.

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