Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the transitional president and head of state of Gabon, paid a brief visit to Yaoundé, Cameroon, where he engaged in discussions with President Paul Biya.
This meeting is part of a series of diplomatic encounters Oligui Nguema has pursued with Central African leaders in recent months since assuming power in Libreville. During his stay, he had an extensive conversation with President Biya, primarily focusing on the political situation in Gabon.
The “tête-à-tête” between Paul Biya and Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, a highlight of the Gabonese transitional president’s swift visit to Cameroon, lasted a little over two hours. While the two statesmen had much to discuss, Oligui Nguema refrained from making any public statements after the extended audience.
Insider sources from President Biya’s entourage hinted that the internal situation in Gabon, following the fall of Ali Bongo Ondimba on August 30, has been a source of significant concern for the Cameroonian president. Oligui Nguema shed light on the motivations behind the coup and outlined the transitional agenda, particularly leading up to the organization of upcoming democratic elections in Gabon.
President Biya is reported to have expressed interest in the status of the ousted president and his associates, according to our sources. An evaluation of the cooperative relations between the two countries, sharing nearly 300 kilometers of common borders, was also undertaken.
President Biya summarized the discussions as “cordial and fruitful” in a tweet following the meeting.