Raymond Ndong Sima, appointed by the military after the August 30, 2023 coup, addressed the press on September 27. He emphasized that the military’s seizure of power was a necessary measure for Gabon.
The Prime Minister was being careful about the exact timeframe for the transition. Raymond Ndong Sima advised that it should be brief to avoid increasing political sanctions from international organizations and Gabon’s economic associates. He stated that the goal was to show that the change was essential and that Gabon is returning to normalcy, and the transition should happen as swiftly as possible.
According to Raymond Ndong Sima, the national dialogue, which will lead to establishing a constituent assembly responsible for drafting the future constitution, could occur between April and June of next year. However, as early as next week, he will issue a call for contributions from Gabonese citizens, who will have up to two months to submit their proposals.
“What I will request is a written contribution in two parts. First, your diagnosis: what is your assessment of the situation? And then, what are your proposed solutions? A secretariat will be responsible, under the minister in charge of institutional reform, for collecting all these documents,” he explained.
This document will serve as the basis for discussions during the national dialogue, which could occur no later than June next year. “There will be no taboos. All questions, including those concerning the military, will be debated,” the Prime Minister stressed.
The military that overthrew Ali Bongo decided that during the transition, there would be no opposition or majority. All Gabonese citizens are called upon to contribute to establishing institutions for better governance of the country after the transition.