Wednesday’s military takeover in Gabon came on the heels of Niger last month, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Chad, Guinea, Sudan and Mali in the years prior to that. The Gabonese military takeover was announced not long after the electoral authorities declared that President Ali Bongo had secured another term, even though there were allegations of electoral irregularities. The UN chief appealed to nations to act promptly in setting up trustworthy democratic systems and maintaining the rule of law. “Development is a central objective if we want to create conditions for peace and stability in Africa,” Guterres responded when asked by a reporter. “Diplomacy is more important than ever to navigate the tensions of our emerging multipolar world,” Guterres noted.
