Despite boasting one of the highest GDPs per capita in Africa, nearly two in five Gabonese live in poverty. That inequality — combined with decades of monolithic rule under the Bongo family — were contributing factors to Gabon’s military coup last August. USIP spoke with Charles M'bah, Gabon’s minister of public accounts, about what the people of Gabon expect from the current political transition and how the international community can help bolster Gabon’s democratic and economic development.
On August 30, just hours after Gabon’s election commission announced that President Ali Bongo Ondimba had been elected to a third term, a group of Gabonese military officers from the elite presidential guard unit seized power and placed the president under arrest at his palace. Later that day, the officers declared General Brice Oligui Nguema as chairman of the transition. While the election itself had been marred by reports of irregularities, the officers’ coup marks the latest in a long line of recent military takeovers across the African continent that have jeopardized regional stability and security.
The elections this year in the Philippines, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and even the United States, demonstrate how high-stakes elections frequently trigger anxiety, tension or even violence or the threat of unrest. Properly managed elections allow opposing groups to press their claim to power through a peaceful process. But in fragile democracies, elections frequently feature intimidation or violent protest. U.S. Institute of Peace Senior Program Officer Jonas Claes, editor o...
The process of decarbonization—that is, the replacement of fossil fuels with non-hydrocarbon-based forms of energy—is essential for meeting the climate goals articulated by international agreements. But in fragile, oil-dependent nations, where hydrocarbon revenues are often a key means of political control, decarbonization can spell the difference between peace and conflict. This report examines the consequences of the sudden loss of oil revenues for fragile, conflict-affected states and provides recommendations for policymakers on how to manage future decarbonization peacefully.
Despite Africa’s immense potential, the pace of development is not keeping up with Africans’ needs. This deficit has helped fuel a troubling rise in poverty, conflict and coups across the continent, all while global issues like climate change and strategic competition begin to take their own toll. USIP spoke with Afrobarometer’s Joe Asunka, Open Society Foundations’ Mooya Nyaundi and the Institute for Security Studies’ Jakkie Cillers at the Africa Futures Summit about the challenges facing the African continent — and how the international community can partner with African leaders to harness Africa’s development potential and promote stable, democratic governance.