Campaign ads for Ali Bongo in his successful 2009 bid to succeed his father as president of Gabon. The Bongo family has lead Gabon uninterrupted for over 50 years.
Reuters/Daniel Magnowski
Gabon’s strongman president, Ali Bongo, is barely clinging to power after contested elections, a stroke and a coup attempt. The Bongo family has run this stable central African nation for 52 years.
When the wheels of partnership turn smoothly, Africa can benefit enormously.
EtiAmmos/Shutterstock
For Gabonese officers, military interventions like that underway now in the Central African Republic, are also a pathway to politics.
Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring a goal at Afcon 2017. He plays his club football in Germany for Borussia Dortmund.
Mike Hutchings/Reuters
The sheer number of top African footballers playing in foreign leagues is one of the most notable trends of the current Africa Cup of Nations tournament. It has an impact on the African game too.
The charred interior of the Gabon’s parliament after it was burned in post-election protests in Libreville.
Edward McAllister/Reuters
National electoral commissions are crucial in shaping public perceptions of how well democracy is working. Poor electoral management can enable fraud and produce political alienation.
Protesters in Paris against Gabonese President Ali Bongo with placards reading: 1967-2016, 50 years in power is enough!
AAP
It’s easy to dismiss Africa as a place that is, at best, a provider of commodities, land and labour. A closer look shows that the continent is innovative and offers a lot more opportunities.
France’s relationships with its former African colonies has become ambivalent.
Reuters/Pascal Rossignol
French and African presidents have, in the past, entertained close relationships outside official channels. These often included illegitimate exchanges. But there are signs that this is changing.
Is the sun setting on West African oil? A platform in Limbe, Cameroon.
VirginieVV
After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the US made a point of diversifying its sources of oil to reduce dependence on the Middle East. It was a strategic move which promised a huge boost to West African…