People celebrate in support of the putschists in Libreville, Gabon. Reuters
People celebrate in support of the putschists in Libreville, Gabon. Reuters
People celebrate in support of the putschists in Libreville, Gabon. Reuters
People celebrate in support of the putschists in Libreville, Gabon. Reuters

EU rejects military takeover of Gabon as general prepares to be sworn in


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The European Union has rejected the seizure of power by force in the West African country of Gabon and called for restraint from all parties.

In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said there no plans were in place for evacuating Europeans from the country.

A military coup took place after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo had won a third term.

"Naturally, military coups are not the solution but we must not forget that in Gabon there had been elections full of irregularities," Mr Borrell told reporters in Spain ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss the coup in Niger on July 26.

The opposition Alternance 2023 alliance has called for the rest of the votes to be counted in Gabon, urging military leaders to admit their candidate has won.

The alliance also said it was inviting defence and security forces "to the discussion so as to work out the situation within a patriotic and responsible framework and find, among Gabonese, the best solution".

France, where Mr Bongo's loss of power would mark a further blow to Paris's influence in Africa, has condemned the coup and renewed calls "to see the results of the election respected, once they are known".

Mr Bongo has since been placed under house arrest and his cousin Gen Brice Nguema has been appointed transitional head. He will be sworn in on Monday, said Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, spokesman for the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions on Thursday.

Members of the international community have demanded guarantees for Mr Bongo's safety.

Mr Bongo was elected in 2009 after the death of his father, who reputedly amassed a fortune from Gabon's oil wealth.

In 2016 he was re-elected – again in fiercely disputed conditions – before suffering a stroke in 2018 that weakened his grip on power.

Mr Nguema "would like to reassure all donors, development partners, as well as state creditors, that all provisions will be taken to guarantee respect for our country's commitments both externally and internally," Mr Manfoumbi said.

People cheered after the toppling of 55 years of Bongo family rule. However, the army kept a 6pm to 6am curfew "to maintain calm and serenity" and Gabon's borders remained closed.

Five other countries in Africa – Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Niger – have undergone coups in the past three years, their new rulers each having resisted demands for a short timetable for returning to barracks.

PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Keep it fun and engaging

Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.

“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.

His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.

He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

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Updated: August 31, 2023, 7:48 PM`