Spanish
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, stated this Monday that France will stand by "this new Gabon", after his meeting with his Gabonese counterpart, Brice Oligui Nguema, in a working visit aimed at strengthening the bilateral relationship and strategic sectors.
"Proud to support this new Gabon that is moving forward, transforming, and uniting. France is by its side as a respectful partner and a friend," Macron said on the social network X after his meeting with Nguema, which took place on Sunday in Libreville, the Gabonese capital.
"We reaffirm our determination to move forward with clarity, strengthen strategic sectors, and pave the way for sustainable and ambitious development that fully benefits our people," affirmed Nguema.
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The Gabonese leader stated that Macron's visit - which was the first since the August 2023 coup that brought him to power and after the country's return to constitutional order following the elections last April - "demonstrates the solidity and depth of the collaboration we are building together." "Your visit, which goes far beyond mere protocol, reflects the shared desire to promote essential projects for the transformation of our country and to give new impetus to our cooperation," he added. Macron's visit comes after his participation this weekend in the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg and before his attendance at the summit between the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU), which takes place this Monday and Tuesday in Angola. Nguema, leader of the military junta that governed Gabon since the coup -which overthrew then-president Ali Bongo-, was inaugurated last May as president for a seven-year term after winning the April 12 elections. Of the five West and Central African countries that have suffered coups since 2020 (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Conakry and Gabon), Gabon is the only one that is going to return to an imminent civilian government and that maintains close relations with its former colonial power, France.
