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Spotlight | Gabon
Coup d'état freezes China's Gabon naval base plan

Former Gabonese President Omar Bongo and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, 19 April 2023, in Beijing. © Li Xueren/Xinhua News Agency/Newscom/MaxPPP

Chinese diplomats are closely watching General Oligui's first steps at the helm of Gabon's transitional government, with Beijing's recent hard-won deal with now-deposed president Ali Bongo to create a naval base in the country effectively on ice. [...]

Published on 07/09/2023 at 04:40 GMT Reading time 3 minutes

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Defence, Diplomacy

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Gabon
Africom
Alexis Lamek
Ali Bongo
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema
Felicite Ongouori Ngoubili
Jin Dong
Li Jinjin
Li Shangfu
People's Liberation Army Navy
Pierre Vandier
Republican Guard
Stephen J. Townsend
Teodoro Obiang Nguema
Wang Yi
Xi Jinping

Spotlight | Gabon
General Oligui blows hot and cold over Chinese navy base

The plan to build a naval base in Port-Gentil, as agreed by Beijing and Ali Bongo in 2023, has stalled. But Gabon's transitional president Oligui Nguema is cultivating deliberate ambiguity about the project's future, much to Washington's displeasure.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 28.05.2024

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema at the opening of the National Dialogue in Gabon at the Libreville Gymnasium, 2 April 2024.

Gabon
Gagan Gupta's bid to save Arise involves tricky negotiations

On 30 September, Gabon coup leader Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema met with Indian tycoon Gagan Gupta, who is reportedly close to Noureddin Bongo, the son of fallen president Ali Bongo. But Gupta had spent several days of enforced waiting.

Subscribers only Infrastructure, Business 04.10.2023

Gabon
Republican Guard's French officers reshuffled

Following Gabon's coup d'état last month, several shifts within the Republican Guard suggest its French officers are being quietly reshuffled.

Subscribers only Defence 26.09.2023

Inner circles | Gabon
Gabon coup: Gen Oligui Nguema brings back the old guard

The freshly inaugurated interim head of state has called in political heavyweights who were close to his predecessors Omar and Ali Bongo.

Subscribers only Politics 08.09.2023

The head of the junta, General Brice Oligui Nguema, in Libreville, Gabon, on 4 September 2023.

Gabon
Deposed president Ali Bongo allowed some visitors despite house arrest

Under house arrest and cut off from his family, deposed Gabonese president Ali Bongo nonetheless continued to receive a handful of low-profile visits.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 07.09.2023

Gabon
Coup in Gabon: General Oligui reassures Paris

The day after his coup against his cousin and president, Ali Bongo, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema was keen to make his strategy clear to the French authorities. He claims to want to strengthen relations with Paris.

Subscribers only Defence, Politics 04.09.2023

Brice Oligui Nguema in Libreville, on 16 August 2023.

Gabon
Gabon coup: General Oligui leads the charge as Bongo clan rivalries reach boiling point

Breaking published on 30/08/23 at 18:55 - Ali Bongo's sworn protector, the Commander of the Gabonese National Guard, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, has ended up ousting the president instead. Behind the scenes, Haut-Ogooué heavyweights are preparing to purge the system, starting with the former first lady and her son.

Subscribers only Defence, Politics 30.08.2023

Gabonese soldiers carrying General Brice Oligui Nguema, head of the presidential guard of ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba, on 30 August 2023.

Spotlight | China, East Africa
Xi Jinping's new ambitions for China-Africa trade take shape

Ahead of the CCP congress in November, the Chinese leader wants to breathe new life into its business ties with Africa. As frictions rise with Washington over tensions in the Taiwan Strait, Beijing is also trying to cement ties with friendly African nations.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 30.08.2022

Spotlight | Africa
Beijing's secret campaign for the post of UN peacekeeping head, a job long held by France

Over the last few months, China has been actively lobbying for the appointment of one of its diplomats to head the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). France has held this key post since 1997.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 31.08.2021

China, DRC
Beijing beckons to Tshisekedi

Xi Jinping's regime has invited the Congolese head of state to visit Beijing later this spring to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries. The invitation comes as Washington, which has made a dramatic return to the DRC since the election of Felix Tshisekedi, is closely scrutinizing Chinese activity in the country.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 05.03.2021

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Gabon
Africom
Alexis Lamek
Ali Bongo
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema
Felicite Ongouori Ngoubili
Jin Dong
Li Jinjin
Li Shangfu
People's Liberation Army Navy
Pierre Vandier
Republican Guard
Stephen J. Townsend
Teodoro Obiang Nguema
Wang Yi
Xi Jinping

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Spotlight | Gabon
Coup d'état freezes China's Gabon naval base plan

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Spotlight | Gabon
General Oligui blows hot and cold over Chinese navy base

Gabon
Gagan Gupta's bid to save Arise involves tricky negotiations

Gabon
Republican Guard's French officers reshuffled

Inner circles | Gabon
Gabon coup: Gen Oligui Nguema brings back the old guard

Gabon
Deposed president Ali Bongo allowed some visitors despite house arrest

Gabon
Coup in Gabon: General Oligui reassures Paris

Gabon
Gabon coup: General Oligui leads the charge as Bongo clan rivalries reach boiling point

Spotlight | China, East Africa
Xi Jinping's new ambitions for China-Africa trade take shape

Spotlight | Africa
Beijing's secret campaign for the post of UN peacekeeping head, a job long held by France

China, DRC
Beijing beckons to Tshisekedi

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Indigo Publications' websites

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Spotlight | Gabon Coup d'état freezes China's Gabon naval base plan

This article may be accessed by subscribers

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create a free account

Set up email notifications for these topics

Spotlight | Gabon General Oligui blows hot and cold over Chinese navy base

Gabon Gagan Gupta's bid to save Arise involves tricky negotiations

Gabon Republican Guard's French officers reshuffled

Inner circles | Gabon Gabon coup: Gen Oligui Nguema brings back the old guard

Gabon Deposed president Ali Bongo allowed some visitors despite house arrest

Gabon Coup in Gabon: General Oligui reassures Paris

Gabon Gabon coup: General Oligui leads the charge as Bongo clan rivalries reach boiling point

Spotlight | China, East Africa Xi Jinping's new ambitions for China-Africa trade take shape

Spotlight | Africa Beijing's secret campaign for the post of UN peacekeeping head, a job long held by France

China, DRC Beijing beckons to Tshisekedi

Set up email notifications for these topics

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Africa
The sensational rise and spectacular fall of Pefaco casino and hotels

Nigeria
Fertiliser giants Indorama and Dangote in murky waters over urea shortage

Spotlight | Gabon
Coup d'état freezes China's Gabon naval base plan

Spotlight | Gabon
General Oligui blows hot and cold over Chinese navy base

Gabon
Gagan Gupta's bid to save Arise involves tricky negotiations

Gabon
Republican Guard's French officers reshuffled

Inner circles | Gabon
Gabon coup: Gen Oligui Nguema brings back the old guard

Gabon
Deposed president Ali Bongo allowed some visitors despite house arrest

Gabon
Coup in Gabon: General Oligui reassures Paris

Gabon
Gabon coup: General Oligui leads the charge as Bongo clan rivalries reach boiling point

Spotlight | China, East Africa
Xi Jinping's new ambitions for China-Africa trade take shape

Spotlight | Africa
Beijing's secret campaign for the post of UN peacekeeping head, a job long held by France

China, DRC
Beijing beckons to Tshisekedi