Within a month, another regime in Africa was toppled — this time, resource-rich Gabon. Gabon, an OPEC member, is one of the richest countries of Africa in terms of per-capita income. When Omar Bongo was in power, the regime got French protection in return for business favours. Whether the putschists had public support or not, these coups speak of two major trends in Africa. Gabon has already replaced France with China as its most important trading partner.
