The Kingdom of Morocco is closely monitoring the situation in the Gabonese Republic, following the recent protests and political unrest.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Moroccan government said it “affirms the importance of maintaining the stability of this brotherly country and the tranquility of its people.”
The statement also said that Morocco “trusts in the wisdom of the Gabonese nation, its living forces and its national institutions, to move forward towards a horizon that will enable work for the supreme interest of the country, the preservation of the achievements that have been made and the response to the aspirations of the brotherly Gabonese people.”
Morocco has close ties to Gabon, and the two countries have a long history of cooperation. Gabon supports Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, and the two countries have signed several agreements on trade, investment, and security cooperation.
The protests in Gabon began on August 16, after the government announced that President Ali Bongo had been re-elected in a controversial election. The opposition has accused the government of rigging the election, and the protests have continued despite a state of emergency being declared.
Soldiers in Gabon claimed power after President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who has been in power for 14 years, was re-elected for a third term in Saturday’s election with 64.27 percent of votes cast.
Bongo beat his main rival Albert Ondo Ossa, who won 30.77 percent of the vote, while 12 other candidates divided those remaining.