After the fall of the Bongo family, which has been in existence for decades, Gabon chooses a new head of state. That could also be interesting for German companies.
Libreville – More than a year and a half after the coup d’état, the people in Gabon choose a head of state for the first time today. With the election, the forest and oil-rich African coastal country on the equator returns to a civilian government after the coup in August 2023.
Transitional President General Brice Oligui Nguema (50), who led the bloodless coup against his cousin, President Ali Bongo Ondimba, is the favorite. The most important opposite candidate is the former Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie—-Nze. A total of seven men and a woman compete. Results will be expected in the coming days.
Winners of elections in Gabon should then rule for seven years
Until the polling stations were closed at 6 p.m. (5 p.m. CEST), 920,000 people were in Gabon called up to give up your vote. 2500 observers should provide “free and transparent” elections. The very short campaign phase was dominated by Oligui. He competed against seven other candidates, including former Prime Minister Alain-Claude Bilie Ny Nze.
The new constitution of the country provides for the president a term of seven years, which can be extended once. Opponents accused Nguema of wanting to stick to power. According to the state news agency, election observers from the EU be on site.
Oil, tropical wood and manganese – German companies also look forward to elections in Gabun
German companies such as the technology group Bosch also look excited to Gabon. The trade relationships between Germany and Gabon are according to that Foreign trade portal Bavaria Characterized by an exchange in the areas of technology and mechanical engineering. The change of politics since 2023 has been hope for new dynamics in business.
The oil sector is the dominant industry in Gabon, followed by forestry, which is considered the second largest foreign exchange bringer in the country. Mining, in particular the extraction of manganese and uranium, also contributes significantly to the economy.
China has been replacing the United States in the West African country as a dominant trading partner for several years. Germany mainly imports manganese and wood from Gabon, while it exports machines, vehicles and chemical products. The bilateral trading volume has shown an increasing tendency in recent years, since German companies are increasingly investing in Gabon.
Elections in Gabon: Putsch was celebrated by many as a liberation
The Bongo family, which has ruled the former French colony in Central Africa since 1967, is accused of massive corruption. Many of the approximately 2.5 million Gaboners who live in poverty despite the country of the country’s raw materials had celebrated the coup as an exemption from a kileptocracy. According to the World Bank, almost 40 percent of young people are unemployed.
Africa has experienced nine unconstitutional power takeovers by the military since 2020, almost all of them in former French colonies in West and Central Africa. Since then, Mali, Burkina Faso, the Niger and Guinea have ruled military councils with transitional governments that have not yet set elections. (LM/dpa/AFP)
