A week ago, Gilberto Da Piedade Verissimo, President of the Central African Economic Community (CEEAC), reported an attack on his residence in Gabon. The Gabonese government has now disclosed the initial findings of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident, which has triggered a minor crisis between Gabon and Angola, both members of the sub-regional organization.
According to the official statement released by the Gabonese government, the reported attack on the CEEAC President’s residence, as conveyed in Verissimo’s verbal note on January 18, did not occur. The investigation revealed that the “forced entry by armed individuals,” lamented by Verissimo, was, in fact, the “arrival of the homeowner and his security detail.”
Crucially, the President of the Commission was not present in Gabon during the incident. The investigation determined that Verissimo had terminated his lease on November 30, 2023, and was expected to vacate the residence by January 5, 2024. Therefore, he was no longer a tenant at the property.
Furthermore, it came to light that Verissimo had relocated to an apartment in the city center. Strikingly, this change of residence had not been reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a violation of the Vienna Convention on the protection of diplomats.
As of now, neither CEEAC nor Angola has issued a response. Diplomatic sources express hope that Libreville and Luanda will swiftly find a resolution to defuse the emerging crisis. The situation poses intriguing questions about the accuracy of the initial reports and the diplomatic intricacies surrounding the incident.