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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01LIBREVILLE603 |
OMAR BONGO AND THE GABONESE POLITICAL SCENE [...] (U) CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR REASONS 1.5 (B, D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: AFTER NEARLY 34 YEARS IN OFFICE, GABONESE PRESIDENT OMAR BONGO IS A WILY POLITICIAN WHO STILL HAS A FIRM GRIP ON POWER. HE IS UNQUESTIONABLY "THE BOSS" AND MAINTAINS AN EXTENSIVE CIRCLE OF FAITHFUL AND PANDERING ALLIES. MANY [...] |
2001-04-23 15:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL ECON GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE109 |
ALLIES OF PRESIDENT'S SON GAIN KEY POSTS IN NEW [...] (C) Summary: The new cabinet announced by Prime Minister Eyeghe Ndong on January 23 rewarded all the factions which had contributed to President Bongo's reelection. The faction most favored appears to be that associated with Minister of Defense Ali Bongo, whose allies now control the natio [...] |
2006-02-13 12:26:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE150 |
RAINFOREST AND GORILLAS IN E. NIGERIA/W. CAMEROON [...] REO and Abuja Econoff travelled to sites in Cross River State (Eastern Nigeria) in mid-February for meetings with conservation NGOs and local government officials, including the state governor, Donald Duke. This area has notably rich biodiversity, including the last rainforest in Nigeria, se [...] |
2006-03-06 10:53:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV EAID NI CM |
| 06LIBREVILLE164 |
GABON SETS AIR TICKET TAX AS PART OF FRENCH [...] No summary [...] |
2006-03-10 11:12:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID EFIN EAIR |
| 06LIBREVILLE180 |
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE LEGISLATIVE ELECTION PRIMER [...] (C) Summary: Sao Tome will hold legislative elections March 26. Ten political parties and coalitions will compete for all 55 seats in the National Assembly. Compared to other central African countries where the President dominates governance, the Assembly is the key institution in Sao Tome, [...] |
2006-03-20 10:22:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV TP |
| 06LIBREVILLE191 |
GOG EXPLAINS RAIDS THAT LED OPPOSITION LEADER TO [...] (C) Summary: On March 24 the GoG explained to the diplomatic corps the circumstances of its March 21 raid on the headquarters of an opposition political party, which resulted in party leader Mamboundou's flight to the South African Embassy (reftels). The GoG told diplomats it had intelligence [...] |
2006-03-24 13:36:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE192 |
GABON AND SAO TOME MISCELLANY 16-22 MARCH [...] (C) GOG Boosts Fuel Prices. Gabon announced an increase in retail fuel prices of 5.5 percent May 15, satisfying demands from fuel distributors but angering taxi drivers. Distributors were concerned their margins were being squeezed because of price caps at the pump; taxi drivers for their [...] |
2006-03-24 13:36:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB TP |
| 06LIBREVILLE196 |
LONG-TERM REPUBLICAN GUARD COMMANDER REMOVED [...] (C) General of the Army Andre Oyini, the commander of the Gabonese Republican Guard for more than twenty years, was quietly removed from his post along with several other senior officers. Oyini was replaced by former Deputy Commander Brigadier General Gregoire Kouna. The shakeup is signifi [...] |
2006-03-30 11:44:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE200 |
NO SURPRISE IN SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE LEGISLATIVE [...] (U Summary: The MDFM ("Movement for the Democratic Force of Change" -- the party of President Fradique de Menezes) and the MLSTP ("Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe" -- the party of the Prime Minister) split the vote in the March 26 Sao Tome and Principe (STP) legislative [...] |
2006-03-30 15:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE216 |
SAO TOME PARTIES JOCKEYING TO FORM GOVERNMENT [...] (C) Summary: Legislative elections in Sao Tome and Principe (STP) gave no party a majority of seats in the National Assembly (an institution that has much more power constitutionally than the Presidency). President de Menezes's MDFM party won the most seats, with 23 out of 55. De Menezes hope [...] |
2006-04-05 16:33:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL TP GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE217 |
GABONESE DEFENSE MINISTRY SECRETARY GENERAL [...] (U) Minister of Defense Ali Bongo elevated General Robert Mangollo M'voulou to the post of Secretary General at the Ministry of National Defense April 4, replacing General of the Army Jean-Remy Ondo, who was appointed Secretary General for National Defense at the Presidency. The Ministry of [...] |
2006-04-05 16:36:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE222 |
GOG EXPERT ON EG-GABON BOUNDARY NEGOTIATIONS [...] (C) Summary: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Legal Advisor Michel Biang reports the GoG and GREG will renew ministerial level maritime boundary negotiations May 2 in New York. The GoG is no longer optimistic about an expeditious resolution. Biang fears that declining Gabonese oil production will [...] |
2006-04-06 14:29:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EPET GB EK |
| 06LIBREVILLE228 |
AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH OPPOSITION DELEGATION [...] (C) The Ambassador met six opposition leaders at the Residence April 4 to discuss their grievances against the GoG. The delegation included Zacharie Myboto, Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development (UGDD), Jules Aristide Bourdes Ogoulinguende, Congress for Democracy and Justice (CDJ), Dr [...] |
2006-04-10 09:25:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE231 |
GABON'S NUMBER TWO, SENATE PRESIDENT GEORGES [...] (U) Georges Rawiri, President of the Gabonese Senate and perhaps the second most powerful politician in Gabon, died in France April 9. President Bongo ordered a week of national mourning and ordered flags flown at half staff. Rawiri was 74 years old and reportedly suffered from a weak heart. [...] |
2006-04-11 11:37:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE257 |
EU FORCE FOR CONGO ELECTIONS TO STANDBY IN GABON [...] (SBU) The standby component of the EU force to bolster security during the DRC's June elections will be based in Franceville, Gabon, according to German Ambassador Ilsa Lindemann. Less than 250 miles from Kinshasa, Franceville features a former French military base now used by the Gabonese ai [...] |
2006-04-21 11:23:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PREL PGOV GB CG |
| 06LIBREVILLE261 |
SAO TOME PRESIDENT NOMINATES PRIME MINISTER AND [...] (U) President Fradique Menezes has appointed Tome da Vera Cruz as Sao Tome's new Prime Minister. He and other members of the cabinet are scheduled to be sworn in 3 PM April 21. Other nominations include: Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Finance--Mario dos Santos Tebus Tor [...] |
2006-04-21 14:07:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE300 |
GABON AND SAO TOME MISCELLANY APRIL 2006 [...] (U) Mamboundou's Stay in South African Embassy Ended UPG (Union of Gabonese People) President and opposition leader Pierre Mamboundou, in the South African Embassy since March 21, left his refuge the morning of April 19. A South African diplomat reported that the South African Ambassador [...] |
2006-05-04 15:57:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB TP |
| 06LIBREVILLE301 |
FRENCH CONCERNED ABOUT CHINESE MINING PROJECT IN [...] (C) French commercial attache Dimitri Verdet is concerned that the Gabonese government may support a Chinese bid to exploit substantial iron deposits near Belinga, in a remote part of north east Gabon. China's competition for the project is the Brazilian bid company CVRD. Verdet believes s [...] |
2006-05-04 16:42:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EMIN PGOV ECON GB CH |
| 06LIBREVILLE312 |
A RUMOR A DAY HELPS KEEP COUPS AWAY [...] (C) A document making the rounds in Libreville is asserting (again) that Ali Bongo tried to seize control of Gabon from his father, and will try again, by force if necessary. The document alleges that Ali, frustrated in his ambition to build a succession mechanism for himself into law, plan [...] |
2006-05-11 16:19:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE382 |
CHINESE BEAT OUT BRAZILIANS; GABONESE LOSE [...] (C) Summary: After a nearly six-month battle over the rights to one of the largest untapped iron deposits in the world between Brazilian mining company CVRD and the Chinese engineering company CMEC, the GoG awarded the project to the Chinese. Although most observers believed investment by CVRD [...] |
2006-06-08 13:09:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EMIN EINV ECON PREL CH GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE391 |
GABON AND SAO TOME & PRINCIPE OIL UPDATE [...] Following is an update on the oil sector in Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe. ----- Gabon ----- 2. (U) Production Down - According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Gabon's oil production in the first quarter of 2006 dropped by 8.4% over the previous year. The Ministry stated that [...] |
2006-06-14 15:31:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ECON EFIN ENRG GB TP |
| 06LIBREVILLE445 |
FIRING AND HIRING OF CENTRAL BANK GOVERNORS IN SAO [...] On June 22, the Sao Tome and Principe Council of Ministers dismissed the Central Bank Governor, Maria do Carmo Silveira, her vice governor and three administrators. The Government of Sao Tome and Principe (GoSTP) stated that the decision was based on irregularities detected in the bidding and [...] |
2006-07-05 14:35:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON PGOV TP |
| 06LIBREVILLE446 |
IMF AND GABON TALK OF A 3-YEAR PROGRAM [...] (SBU) Summary: After a June 19-30 visit, the IMF will return to Gabon in September to assess the GoG's progress in three areas: decreasing the non-oil budget deficit, improving public finances, and accelerating the improvement of the business climate. If sufficient progress is made, Gabon may [...] |
2006-07-05 15:19:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE486 |
GABON'S REVISED BUDGET MIRRORS IMF GUIDANCE [...] (SBU) Summary: The Gabonese legislature is expected to act shortly to approve the state's revised budget. The Minister of Finance described the new budget as addressing the IMF's concerns (reftel) and said it was a critical step for securing a three year program with the Fund. The IMF repres [...] |
2006-07-24 12:24:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE489 |
EUROPEAN FORCE FOR DRC ELECTIONS DEPLOYING, BUT [...] (C) Colonel (retired) Ernst Elbers, military advisor at the German Embassy in Libreville, provided a July 19 briefing on EUFOR deployment to EUCOM Deputy Commander General Ward. He explained that the force's political direction will be set by the EU Political and Security Committee in Brussels, [...] |
2006-07-25 15:40:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR GB CG |
| 06LIBREVILLE502 |
STP INCUMBENT REELECTED IN MODEL ELECTIONS [...] On July 31, the National Electoral Committee (NEC) of Sao Tome and Principe announced provisional reports of the July 30 presidential election. Incumbent Fradique de Menezes won by a wide margin, with 60% of the vote, over Patrice Trovoada, who polled 38.6% of the vote. About 1% of ballots w [...] |
2006-08-01 13:59:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM TP |
| 06LIBREVILLE505 |
GABON'S SCHOOLS FAIL END OF YEAR EXAMS [...] Few of Gabon's students passed their exams this year: only 17% of students completing ninth grade succeeded in the entry exam for secondary school (BEPC), and just 35% of secondary students passed the baccalaureat exam, equivalent to a high school diploma. Gabon's results are much worse than t [...] |
2006-08-03 13:28:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | SCUL SOCI GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE513 |
GULF OF GUINEA COMMISSION TO MEET AUGUST 25 [...] (U) Foreign Ministers from Gulf of Guinea Commission states met in Libreville August 3 as a first step toward head of state summit in Libreville August 25 that will establish the commission. The summit will follow expert meetings on August 22 and 23 and a further Foreign Ministers meeting on [...] |
2006-08-07 10:49:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EWWT GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE515 |
COMMENTS ON GABON-EG BORDER DISPUTE MEDIATION [...] (C) On August 2, MFA Legal Advisor Michel Biang gave DCM his perspective on the status of efforts to resolve the Gabon-Equatorial Guinea border dispute before UNSG Annan's mandate concludes. He said that the Geneva meeting of heads of state in June was to convene under joint French and Spanis [...] |
2006-08-07 14:26:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EPET GB EK |
| 06LIBREVILLE548 |
VENEZUELAN VICE FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS GABON, SAO [...] (U) On August 21, 2006, Venezuela's Vice Foreign Minister, Reinaldo Bolivar, visited Libreville and called on Gabonese President Omar Bongo Ondimba. According to press reports, he expressed President Chavez' firm commitment to strengthen the two countries' friendship and cooperation. Specific [...] |
2006-08-24 06:02:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC VE GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE560 |
GULF OF GUINEA COMMISSION ESTABLISHED [...] On August 25, Libreville hosted a summit of Gulf of Guinea Commission Heads of State. Presidents from Gabon, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Sao Tome and Principe participated. Cameroon was represented by Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni, Congo-Brazzaville by Foreign Minister Adada, and t [...] |
2006-08-28 13:23:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE580 |
SECRET EG-GABON BOUNDARY MEDIATION FAILS [...] (C) According to MFA Legal Advisor Michel Biang, the draft schedule for EG President Obiang's September 8 visit to Libreville included the surprise signing of a maritime boundary agreement. Biang said the deal, which he did not see until a short time before Obiang's arrival, gave EG most of t [...] |
2006-09-11 12:36:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EPET GB EK |
| 06LIBREVILLE585 |
CHINESE OIL EXPLORATION THREATENS GABON'S FLAGSHIP [...] (C) Summary: Chinese oil company Sinopec's petroleum exploration in Gabon's flagship Loango National Park fails to meet minimal standards for environmental protection. Sinopec's impunity is just one example of recent GoG failure to live up to natural resource commitments; Gabon risks losing GE [...] |
2006-09-13 14:36:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | SENV EFIN EPET PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE598 |
PRESS ACCUSES INTERIOR MINISTER OF TREASON AFTER [...] (U) Gabonese Minister of State for the Interior Andre Mba Obame has been under heavy attack by Libreville media since the failure of his effort to promote a Gabon-EG boundary agreement (reftel). On September 13 the government-controlled daily newspaper Union carried a rare front-page editoria [...] |
2006-09-19 13:53:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV OIIP OPRC GB EK |
| 06LIBREVILLE619 |
POLITICAL INSIDER WINS JUDGMENT AGAINST CITIBANK [...] (C) Summary: One of President Bongo's closest advisors won an appeals court judgment of $5.4 million against Citibank. Citibank reports that the manner in which the decision was made shows that political influence can trump the rule of law in the Gabonese court system. Coming hard on the heels [...] |
2006-10-03 12:25:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN KCOR PGOV EINV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE624 |
MOBIL PULLING OUT OF GABON [...] (SBU) As part of a larger divestiture from its marketing operations in sub-Saharan Africa, ExxonMobil has sold its shares in Mobil Oil Gabon to the Libyan oil company, Tamoil. ExxonMobil held 90% of Mobil Oil Gabon, with the GoG holding the remaining 10%. Earlier in the year ExxonMobil sold it [...] |
2006-10-12 08:45:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ENRG ECON GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE625 |
AGOA ELIGIBILTY REVIEW - SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE [...] Market-based Economy: a. Major Strengths Identified - - STP is in the early stages of petroleum exploration. - In 2001, the GoSTP formed a Joint Development Zone (JDZ) with the Government of Nigeria. Since then, two bid rounds have been conducted (in 2004 and 2005) and six of nine oil bl [...] |
2006-10-12 09:35:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | AGOA ECON ETRD TP |
| 06LIBREVILLE626 |
AGOA ELIGIBILTY REVIEW - GABON [...] Market-based Economy: a. Major Strengths Identified - - Almost all parastatals have been privatized, including companies in the oil, wood, minerals, water, electricity, and agricultural sectors. - The GoG's revenue increased, primarily due to high oil prices. It used some of this windf [...] |
2006-10-12 09:35:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | AGOA ECON ETRD GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE627 |
MBANIE-GATE KEEPS GABON-EQUATORIAL GUINEA BORDER [...] (U) The failed effort to conclude a Gabon-EG maritime boundary agreement in early September (Ref A) continues to dominate the headlines in Gabon; it is now known as the "Mbanie-gate" scandal. Foreign Minister Ping held a press conference on September 29 to explain the history of the border di [...] |
2006-10-12 11:53:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM EPET GB EK |
| 06LIBREVILLE637 |
GABON: UNSCR 1718 DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-19 07:28:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KNNP PARM KNAR GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE638 |
UNSC MEMBERSHIP DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-19 07:42:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC GE VT GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE677 |
AFRICAN LEADERS MEET BASHIR IN CHINA [...] (C) On November 10, immediately upon the Gabon delegation's return from the China-Africa summit, Ambassador Walkley met with Foreign Minister Jean Ping for a read-out regarding discussions concerning Darfur/Sudan. Ping said that on October 12, Abdoulaye Wade -- identifying himself as the Coor [...] |
2006-11-13 12:35:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINS KPKO CD IR SU GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE688 |
GABONESE PUBLIC BORED, POLITICIANS FASCINATED, BY [...] (C) Summary: Most of the 877 candidates competing for 120 seats during Gabon's December 17 legislative elections have no chance of success, regardless of whether the elections are free and fair. The large majority of the winners will likely come from President Bongo's Gabonese Democratic Party [...] |
2006-11-28 15:41:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE691 |
PRESIDENT BONGO TWISTS ARMS, ENDS STRIKE [...] (C) Summary: The imminence of legislative elections has contributed to a rash of strikes, since workers expect the government to act to resolve strikes quickly at election time. Following a three-day strike by oil workers, President Bongo instructed Mobil Oil Gabon to grant a wage increase and [...] |
2006-11-29 14:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET EINV ELAB PGOV GB |
| 06LIBREVILLE728 |
BONGO VISITS WIFE IN PARIS [...] In June, Edith Lucie Bongo (the 42-year old wife of President Omar Bongo -- and daughter of Congo president Denis Sassou Nguesso) was evacuated to France, after apparently suffering a stroke. Since that time (with the exception of one 24-hour visit to Gabon in October), she has basically stay [...] |
2006-12-28 13:40:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL GB CF |
| 07LIBREVILLE1 |
OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS SLIGHTLY REDUCE RULING [...] Summary: Gabon's ruling party won 81 out of 120 seats in the National assembly; other candidates expected to support the government won an additional 21 seats. Opposition parties have a larger presence than in the past, with 17 seats. Electoral reforms may have contributed to greater transp [...] |
2007-01-03 07:11:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE108 |
GULF OF GUINEA COMMISSION HEAD TO BE SWORN IN [...] During a meeting with Ambassador Walkley in Sao Tome and Principe last week, Carlos Gomes said he will be traveling to Libreville March 5 to be "sworn in" as Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) by President Omar Bongo. He plans to arrive in Luanda in early April and hopes [...] |
2007-03-02 13:03:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV MASS GB TP AO |
| 07LIBREVILLE126 |
GABON TO RECEIVE A THREE-YEAR IMF PROGRAM [...] Summary: After over a year of discussions, the IMF and the Government of Gabon (GoG) have reached a preliminary agreement on a three-year standby arrangement. The program will go to the IMF Board in May 2007 and will focus on budget sustainability, improving the management of public finances, [...] |
2007-03-13 10:39:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON PGOV GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE156 |
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT SURPRISES RULING PARTY WITH [...] (U) On March 31 the Constitutional Court issued its final rulings on challenges to the results of the December 27, 2006 legislative elections. Sixteen elections were ruled invalid due to violations of election law, and voters in those constituencies will return to the polls at an unspecified [...] |
2007-04-03 11:44:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE167 |
GABON REACTS TO EQUATORIAL GUINEAN ACCUSATIONS ON [...] (U) On April 16 the GoG publicly responded to GREG accusations that the Gabonese have obstructed the UN mediation effort on the Gabon-EG border dispute. Para 3 contains an informal translation of the Gabonese statement. 2. (C) During an April 12 meeting with Ambassador, Vice Prime Minister [...] |
2007-04-18 14:18:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EPET EK GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE172 |
POST CONCERN ABOUT A&T STATUS FOR NON-USG [...] Embassy Libreville wishes to do everything possible to facilitate NEC construction. Post recently learned that the contract for construction of Libreville's NEC includes a provision stating that the Embassy will "work through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow U.S. citizen contractor pe [...] |
2007-04-24 11:15:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | OFDP AMGT CVIS PREL |
| 07LIBREVILLE174 |
FRANCE CONDUCS ECCAS TRAINING IN GABON; ECCAS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-04-25 14:38:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MCAP GB CF CG BY CT RW |
| 07LIBREVILLE175 |
GULF OF GUINEA COMMISSION HEAD SEEKS MEETINGS WITH [...] (C) Carlos Braganca Gomes (from Sao Tome and Principe) was last month "sworn in" as the Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GOGC) and has assumed his responsibilities at the GOGC HQ in Luanda. Gomes recently told Ambassador Walkley that until his swearing in he was reluctan [...] |
2007-04-25 15:30:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MASS MARR GB TP AO |
| 07LIBREVILLE218 |
NORTH KOREANS AT STP HOSPITAL [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-10 16:49:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KN TP TW |
| 07LIBREVILLE221 |
FRANCE TO INTENSIFY MILITARY COOPERATION WITH [...] (C) During a May 8 ceremony commemorating Armistice Day, Colonel Hingray, the commander of the the 6eme BIMA (the French military battalion in Libreville), announced that upon his departure in August he will be replaced by a General, who will also head up a new cooperation cell to work with the [...] |
2007-05-11 12:44:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PREL MCAP KPKO GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE222 |
POSSIBLE US-BRAZIL COOPERATION TO COMBAT MALARIA [...] (U) During a visit to Sao Tome and Principe (STP) last week, Ambassador Walkley met Manuel Innocencio de Lacerdo Santos, Brazil's ambassador in STP, to explore possible US-Brazilian cooperation in the fight against malaria. One focus of the conversation was an examination of Taiwan's anti-mal [...] |
2007-05-14 13:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV SOCI TBIO TP BR |
| 07LIBREVILLE223 |
CHIKUNGUNYA FEVER EPIDEMIC IN GABON [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-14 13:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | SOCI PGOV TBIO GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE224 |
GABON WILL SEEK EARLY PARIS CLUB REPAYMENT [...] (C) Summary: On May 10, the Gabonese Finance Minister briefed the cabinet on Gabon's new three-year IMF agreement, and said the GoG will now seek early repayment of Paris Club debt. Gabon's external debt burden is moderate and declining, thanks to high oil prices, although new borrowing is up [...] |
2007-05-14 13:45:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PGOV GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE226 |
STP PRESIDENT TURNING TO EG [...] (C) Sao Tome and Principe (STP) is one of the world's poorest countries, with over sixty per cent of the budget coming from foreign assistance. During the six years he has been in office, Fradique de Menezes (STP's president) has relied on off-budget or "backdoor" funding from Taiwan and Nige [...] |
2007-05-14 15:42:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB EK |
| 07LIBREVILLE229 |
GABON ECONOMIC MISCELLANY [...] LIBYAN INVESTMENT. There has recently been a flurry of Libyan investment in Gabon. Libreville's Intercontinental Hotel (the largest hotel in town) has been purchased by a Libyan company for 20 million dollars. Other purchases include the Dialogue Hotel (a vacant hotel on prime beachfront prop [...] |
2007-05-15 16:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV EINV EPET GB LY |
| 07LIBREVILLE236 |
UPDATE ON CHIKUNGUNYA FEVER EPIDEMIC IN GABON [...] (U) According to the Ministry of Health, there have been 2051 new cases of chikungunya fever since May 14, bringing the total number of cases in and around Libreville to 7,500. Although 127 of these cases have required hospitalization, health authorities report no deaths from the virus. 2. [...] |
2007-05-22 10:51:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | SOCI PGOV TBIO GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE25 |
OPPOSITION PARTIES DECLINE TO JOIN NEW GOVERNMENT [...] (U) In December's legislative elections, Gabon's ruling party -- the PDG -- won 83 out of 120 seats in the National Assembly; allied parties expected to support the government picked up 16 seats. In addition, 4 individuals running as independents (without any party affiliation) won seats. Op [...] |
2007-01-17 14:39:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB KDEM |
| 07LIBREVILLE252 |
GABON REQUEST FOR AMBASSADOR'S FUND FOR REFUGEES [...] Embassy Libreville requests 20,000 dollars to promote self-sufficiency in refugee communities through generating food security and steady revenues. The project would provide technical expertise and equipment supporting refugee groups in Moanda, Bakoumba, Lastourville, and Franceville. All acti [...] |
2007-05-31 16:47:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF GA |
| 07LIBREVILLE266 |
PING TO BRIEF UNSG ON BOUNDARY DISPUTE WITH EG [...] (C) Gabonese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Legal Advisor Michel Biang told DCM that he and Foreign Minister Jean Ping are traveling to New York this week to discuss the Gabon - Equatorial Guinea border dispute with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Biang said that both EG President Obiang and t [...] |
2007-06-12 15:49:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EPET GB EG |
| 07LIBREVILLE268 |
PARTIAL LEGISLATIVE ELECTION RESULTS [...] (U) On June 10 voters cast their ballots for twenty legislative seats throughout Gabon. Nineteen of these positions were left vacant after the Constitutional Court invalidated various December 17 election results in several districts (reftel). 2. (U) Despite several issues with the voter re [...] |
2007-06-12 16:32:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE280 |
STP PRESIDENT DE MENEZES MEDEVACED TO BELGIUM [...] (U) Fradique de Menezes, the president of Sao Tome and Principe (STP), left Sao Tome June 11. A statement indicated that de Menezes was going to Belgium for medical tests and would be returning after a few days. Since then there has been no official word of his condition. 2. (C) According [...] |
2007-06-21 16:44:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV TP |
| 07LIBREVILLE283 |
PRESIDENT DE MENEZES RETURNS TO STP [...] Fradique de Menezes, the president of Sao Tome and Principe (STP), returned to STP unexpectedly the night of June 23 after being medevaced to Belgium on June 11 (reftel). His return was a surprise as on June 20 he had requested (and received) approval from the National Assembly to remain abro [...] |
2007-06-25 11:07:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV TP GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE29 |
GABON BUYS USED MIRAGES FROM SOUTH AFRICA [...] (U) Gabon has purchased at least 3 Dassault Mirage F1-AZ fighters from South Africa's Aerosud and Paramount group, which apparently has acquired all of the remaining SAAF F1 airframes. The planes are approximately 30 years old but were upgraded in the 90s and are reported to be in excellent c [...] |
2007-01-18 12:00:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP SF GB EK |
| 07LIBREVILLE308 |
GABON MISCELLANY [...] CHINESE PRESENCE/PRESENTS. On June 26, the Gabonese Minister of Public Construction and the Minister of Telecommunication visited the construction site of the new national radio and television-broadcasting center being built by the PRC in Gabon. Construction began on this project in 2005. The [...] |
2007-07-17 15:53:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KDEM GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE326 |
GABON REQUESTS REMOVAL OF ABDI ALI NUR MOHAMED [...] (U) This cable contains an action request in para 6. 2. (C) Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Ping contacted Ambassador Walkley July 26 regarding the case of Abdi Ali Nur Mohamed, a Somali national deported from the US in 2004 who ended up in Gabon "at the US request" (according to Ping). [...] |
2007-07-26 12:15:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREF PREL SO GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE36 |
BONGO AND FREEMASONRY IN GABON [...] No summary [...] |
2007-01-23 10:53:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE40 |
GUINEA REQUESTS TEAR GAS FROM GABON [...] (C) Gabon's Foreign Minister, Jean Ping, told Ambassador Walkley that late on the evening of January 23 Guinea's ambassador to Gabon (Ibrahima Sory Soumah) approached Ping with the request that Gabon urgently supply Guinea with tear gas. Soumah said that Guinea's military and security forces [...] |
2007-01-24 12:11:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PGOV PHUM PINS GV GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE44 |
WHERE'S STP'S OIL MONEY? [...] (U) As indicated in reftel, the signing bonuses for Blocks 2, 3 and 4 of the Sao Tome and Principe/Nigeria Joint Development Zone totaled $201 million, with STP's share being $80.4 million and Nigeria's $120.6 million. However, because of a disastrous deal STP signed with Environmental Remedia [...] |
2007-01-25 12:29:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ECON TP GB NI EFIN ENRG |
| 07LIBREVILLE449 |
GABON CONFIRMS WILLINGNESS TO HOST AFRICOM ELEMENT [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-09 16:54:00 | Embassy Libreville | SECRET | MARR PREL GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE46 |
NEW GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED [...] No summary [...] |
2007-01-26 10:39:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | GB KDEM PGOV |
| 07LIBREVILLE463 |
GABON: MORE FROM THE DEFENSE MINISTER ON AFRICOM [...] (S/NF) The AFRICOM site survey team is welcome in Gabon and will receive full cooperation from military authorities, influential Minister of Defense Ali Bongo Ondimba told CDA October 12. CDA and DATT met Bongo as instructed (Ref. A), and to follow up on our meeting with Gabonese Foreign Min [...] |
2007-10-17 07:21:00 | Embassy Libreville | SECRET//NOFORN | MARR PREL GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE47 |
OPPOSITION PARTIES WALK OUT [...] (U) The National Assembly members were sworn-in January 24 and turned to the day's agenda: electing the President of the National Assembly and also selecting members of the "Bureau," the entity that controls the operation of the Assembly. Guy Nzouba Ndama was, without controversy, re-elected [...] |
2007-01-26 12:04:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE477 |
SAO TOME: POST-SCRIPT TO POLICE MUTINY [...] (C) In the aftermath of the latest incident involving a group of mutinous police officers known as the "Ninjas", the government of Sao Tome released details of an agreement reached with the group October 18. The agreement disbands and dismisses the Ninjas. However, it also meets their questi [...] |
2007-10-26 12:54:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC PGOV PREL TP |
| 07LIBREVILLE480 |
GABON: ARGENTINA'S REQUEST FOR INTERPOL APPROVAL [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-29 13:51:00 | Embassy Libreville | SECRET | PTER ASEC KJUS PREL PGOV IR GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE49 |
GULF OF GUINEA COMMISSION SECGEN READY TO ASSUME [...] (U) SUMMARY. The treaty establishing the Gulf of Guinea Commission was ratified in 2006 by the requisite number of states and the Gulf of Guinea Commission entered into force. The Commission -- comprising Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe, the Republic of Congo, Nigeri [...] |
2007-01-29 13:40:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MASS GB TP AO |
| 07LIBREVILLE492 |
GABON: FOREIGN MINISTER PING RESPONSIVE TO FATF [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-07 15:15:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON PARM MNUC GB IR |
| 07LIBREVILLE500 |
SAO TOME: DEFENCE MINISTER WANTS HELP ON STATUS [...] (C) Sao Tome and Principe (STP) Minister of Defence Oscar Sousa told CDA November 10 that it would be useful for the USG to send a team to STP to negotiate a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Sousa said he was impatient to get the agreement concluded. For the second time, he requested exam [...] |
2007-11-14 12:20:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MASS MOPS PREL TP |
| 07LIBREVILLE502 |
SAO TOME: GOVERNMENT COLLECTS WEAPONS FROM POLICE [...] (SBU) National authorities in Sao Tome and Principe (STP) have collected a significant quantity of weapons from the rebellious and now-disbanded "Ninja" police unit. Meanwhile, a senior government minister claims the Ninjas, who carried out armed occupations of the national police headquarter [...] |
2007-11-14 16:38:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ASEC TP |
| 07LIBREVILLE62 |
GABON AS EL DORADO [...] On January 29, 2007, 75 West African immigrants attempting to enter Gabon illegally were detained by local authorities as they disembarked from a boat. The group, which included 65 men, 9 women and one child, were nationals of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Ghana and Burkina Faso. In an intervi [...] |
2007-02-01 14:01:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PBTS KTIP PGOV PHSA PHUM SMIG GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE63 |
GABON AS EL DORADO [...] On January 29, 2007, 75 West African immigrants attempting to enter Gabon illegally were detained by local authorities as they disembarked from a boat. The group, which included 65 men, 9 women and one child, were nationals of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Ghana and Burkina Faso. In an intervi [...] |
2007-02-01 14:11:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PBTS KTIP PGOV PHSA PHUM SMIG GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE70 |
MEETING WITH OPPOSITION LEADER MAMBOUNDOU [...] On February 06, Ambassador Walkley met with Pierre Mamboundou -- leader of the UPG, the largest of Gabon's opposition political parties -- to discuss the opposition agenda and relations with President Omar Bongo. Mamboundou said the UPG and the other opposition parties are united in refusing [...] |
2007-02-07 12:20:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB KDEM |
| 07LIBREVILLE81 |
MAROC TELECOM TAKES GABON TELECOM [...] Summary: On February 9, 2007, the Government of Gabon awarded Maroc Telecom a 51 stake in Gabon Telecom for approximately USD 78 million. (The French company Vivendi owns 51 of Maroc Telecom.) This concludes the privatization process of Gabon Telecom, which originally began in 2003 and which [...] |
2007-02-14 10:46:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV EINT ECPS ECON EFIN GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE82 |
DHRF-FUNDED RITUAL CRIMES CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS TABOO [...] Summary: Post used DHRF funds to sponsor a one-day conference on ritual crimes organized by the local NGO "L'Association de Lutte Contre les Crimes Rituels" (ALCR). The objective of the conference was to focus attention on ritual crimes in Gabon and help develop a plan of action to fight the pr [...] |
2007-02-14 13:57:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM SMIG PGOV OPRC EAID KCRM GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE85 |
TFGV01: GUINEA'S REQUEST FOR TEAR GAS--GABON DEMURS [...] (C) On February 15, Ali Bongo (Gabon's Minister of Defense) told Ambassador Walkley that Ibrahama Sory Soumah (Guinea's Ambassador to Gabon) had requested an urgent meeting earlier in the week to pursue again Guinea's request for tear gas and (according to Bongo) "associated equipment" (reftel [...] |
2007-02-16 11:06:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ASEC PHUM PINS MOPS GV GB |
| 07LIBREVILLE88 |
LIGHTS OUT IN LIBREVILLE [...] Summary: Gabon's capital continues to suffer from rolling blackouts, which began two weeks ago. The electric company, Societe d'Energie et d'Eau du Gabon (SEEG), states that due to low rainfall and high temperatures, its hydroelectric dams are unable to meet demand. Gabonese are not used to p [...] |
2007-02-21 12:18:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG EPET ECON EIND EINV GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE139 |
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS [...] (U) Embassy POC for Trafficking in Persons (TIP) issues is Poloff Leslie Doumbia, Tel: 241-76-20-03, Mobile: 241-07-91-02-21, Fax: 241-74-55-07. To prepare this report, Political Officer Leslie Doumbia spent approximately 2 hours and two Locally Engaged Staff (LES) in Sao Tome and Principe spe [...] |
2008-03-18 13:01:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PREF PHUM KCRM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC |
| 08LIBREVILLE146 |
GABON: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT 2008 [...] (U) Embassy POC for Trafficking in Persons (TIP) issues is Poloff Leslie Doumbia, Tel: 241-76-20-03, Mobile: 241-07-91-02-21, Fax: 241-74-55-07. To prepare this report, Poloff Leslie Doumbia spent 25 hours, Political Assistant Cedric Pehoua spent 15, DCM Nathan Holt spent five 5 hours, and Amb [...] |
2008-03-25 11:42:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PREF PHUM KCRM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC |
| 08LIBREVILLE152 |
GABON: RITUAL CRIME ON THE RISE [...] (U) The number of suspected ritual killings in Gabon is on the rise ahead of scheduled April 27 local elections. Members of civil society and some religious leaders have denounced this practice. Government has had little to say on the subject, however. There has been extensive coverage of th [...] |
2008-04-01 10:06:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KPAO KCRM GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE179 |
GABON: FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS ON 2008 TRAFFICKING IN [...] (SBU) Post has consulted closely with Ambassador Reddick, currently presenting credentials in Sao Tome, and provides these additional comments concerning trafficking in persons in Gabon and the proposed placement of Gabon on the Tier 2 Watch List. This cable reflects her views. Credible inde [...] |
2008-04-15 12:59:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE189 |
AMBASSADOR'S COMMENT ON GABON'S 2008 TIP RANKING [...] (SBU) Allow me to weigh in personally on the question of Gabon's TIP ranking. I am sorry that I was away presenting credentials in Sao Tome last week when much of the dialogue on this issue occurred. 2. (SBU) Gabon's TIP record is not perfect, but a fair reading of its record in 2007 shows [...] |
2008-04-21 16:35:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE19 |
GABON: AFRICOM COMMANDER'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT [...] (C) AFRICOM General William Ward's December 4-6 visit to Libreville found officials from both the Government of Gabon and the Economic Community of Central African States pressing for information on when and where AFRICOM will establish a headquarters or other facilities on the continent. Ga [...] |
2008-01-11 15:33:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PREL MASS KPAO GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE248 |
GABON: DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH CUBAN PEOPLE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-05-22 15:29:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KDEM PREL KPAO SOCI CU |
| 08LIBREVILLE389 |
LIBREVILLE - POST ENDORSES FY2009 SECTION 1206 [...] (SBU) Post fully endorses the FY2009 proposal for Section 1206 funding for Gabon and Sao Tome (STP) that was submitted by EUCOM. The funding is for Peace Support Operations training that are in keeping with Post's mission objectives. This training force will deploy to the Gulf of Guinea as part [...] |
2008-07-30 14:20:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MARR MOPS PREL GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE410 |
GABON/SAO TOME: POST ENDORSES FY2008 SECTION 1206 [...] No summary [...] |
2008-08-12 14:50:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MARR MOPS PREL GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE420 |
CEEAC, AN EVOLVING REGIONAL ORGANIZATION, ASSUMES [...] (C) The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS/CEEAC) took over responsibility for a small EU-funded peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic (CAR) on July 12. The handover was a milestone in CEEAC's gradual emergence as a focus for security initiatives in central [...] |
2008-08-20 15:12:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS KPKO GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE436 |
GABON: RESPONSE TO UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE DEMARCHE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-09-05 12:51:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL UN GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE530 |
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE FROM GABONESE PRESIDENT OMAR BONGO [...] THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS A SECOND LETTER THAT WAS PROMINENTLY PLACED ON FRONT PAGE OF THE GABONESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER - L'UNION PLUS (NO. 9866 EDITION) ON NOVEMBER 6, 2008: THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA THE PRESIDENT-ELECT WASHINGTON DEAR SENATOR, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAS PLAC [...] |
2008-11-06 13:56:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | OPDC PREL OVIP GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE564 |
GABON: FRENCH GENERAL DESCRIBES STRENGTHS, [...] (C) The senior French military officer in Central Africa provided visiting AF/C Deputy Director Siria Lopez with a tour d'horizon of French military perspectives on activities of the Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS/CEEAC), including ECCAS's 700-person peacekeeping operation [...] |
2008-12-01 15:41:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM AO BY CM CT CD CG CF EK GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE567 |
GABON/CAR: FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ON CAR DDR PROCESS [...] The following is a rough English translation of a framework document outlining the launch of the DDR process in the Central African Republic. The original French text has already been provided to AF/C. (Begin Text) FRAMEWORK PAPER ON THE LAUNCHING OF THE DDR PROCESS IN THE CENTRAL AFRICA [...] |
2008-12-03 15:38:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM CT GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE569 |
GABON: STILL UNDECIDED ON KOSOVO RECOGNITION [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-06 09:11:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KV GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE571 |
GABON/CAR: PRESIDENT BOZIZE IN LIBREVILLE FOR TALKS [...] (SBU) Central African Republic President Francois Bozize flew to Libreville December 2 for talks with his Gabonese counterpart El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba on the eve of a long-awaited "inclusive national dialogue" among CAR political and military factions. The dialogue is scheduled to begin De [...] |
2008-12-06 09:54:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM KPKO CT GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE572 |
GABON/CAR: GABON PUSHES HARD FOR CAR DIALOGUE [...] (C) All major obstacles to the scheduled December 8 launch of an "inclusive political dialogue" in the Central African Republic appear to have been resolved, according to Gabonese mediators. Gabonese President Bongo will travel to Bangui for the December 8 opening of the dialogue, and Gabon [...] |
2008-12-06 10:03:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KPKO CT TO GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE574 |
GABON: RESHUFFLE OF SECURITY POSTS MAY STACK THE [...] (C) In a move that caught some senior military officers by surprise, Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba has carried out a wide-ranging reshuffle of senior military and security posts. Though many of the changes were routine, the breadth of the shakeup appears unprecedented, at least [...] |
2008-12-06 11:18:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE579 |
GABON: STUDENTS PROTEST, TEACHERS' STRIKE RESUMES [...] (U) Hundreds of secondary school students organized impromptu protests throughout the city of Libreville December 15 upon learning that their teachers had walked out on strike. The protests disrupted traffic on major Libreville thoroughfares. There were reports of some students throwing sto [...] |
2008-12-15 15:18:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB CASC GB |
| 08LIBREVILLE580 |
GABON SEEKS ALIGNMENT WITH AU ON POSSIBLE UNPKO TO [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-15 15:20:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KPKO SO GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE104 |
GABON: DEATH OF FIRST LADY EDITH BONGO [...] (U) Gabon has announced an indefinite mourning period for Edith Bongo Ondimba, the wife of Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba and the daughter of Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) President Denis Sassou-Nguesso. Edith Bongo died March 14 in Rabat, Morocco, after a protracted but undi [...] |
2009-03-16 15:03:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE109 |
GABON STEPS UP SECURITY IN RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL [...] (U) The Gabonese Ministry of Defense issued a communique March 16 stating that it was stepping up patrols in Libreville and cities in the interior of Gabon in response to "corroborated information" about a potential attack by an "identified armed group." A translation of the communique follo [...] |
2009-03-18 12:05:00 | Embassy Libreville | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PINR GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE112 |
CIVIL AVIATION IN GABON: MORE TROUBLE AHEAD? [...] (SBU) Gabon's failure to pay a team of international aviation consultants is putting the nation's air carriers at risk of remaining on the European Union list of restricted airlines. On the eve of a March 24-26 EU meeting to review the list, Gabon has made little progress in restructuring its [...] |
2009-03-23 12:12:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR CASC GB TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE113 |
GABON: FIRST LADY COMMEMORATED AFTER DEATH [...] (C) Ten African heads of state attended the funeral of 45-year old Edith Lucie Bongo Ondimba, wife of Gabonese president El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba and daughter of President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, in Libreville on March 18. In addition to Bongo and Sassou Nguesso, the [...] |
2009-03-23 14:30:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ZF XY GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE133 |
SLOW START FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN STOCK EXCHANGE [...] (SBU) The Libreville-based Central African Stock Exchange (BVMAC) is off to a modest start, and has failed to persuade any company to list on the exchange since its August 2008 debut. BVMAC management cites several obstacles, including the existence of a separate stock exchange in the region, [...] |
2009-04-03 09:30:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECIN PREL GB CN |
| 09LIBREVILLE134 |
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: TWO SOLDIERS DEAD AFTER [...] An apparent personal altercation ended in a fatal shootout between two soldiers on guard duty at Prime Minister Rapheal Branco's government compound in the early morning hours of April 2. In the midst of an argument between the two soldiers, one soldier shot the other in the chest and was kil [...] |
2009-04-03 10:54:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV CASC TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE138 |
Gabon's Health Sector in Crisis [...] (SBU) The crisis affecting Gabon's health care system since the beginning of a sector-wide strike in early January appears to have subsided somewhat, with workers resuming essential services. Government and the striking workers remain at odds over fundamental issues, however, as declining reven [...] |
2009-04-03 11:54:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ECON PGOV SOCI GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE139 |
SAO TOME & PRINCIPE - UPDATE ON MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE [...] (SBU) Senior political leadership in Sao Tome and Principe (STP), including the president and prime minister, remain committed to the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) threshold program but frustrated over what they perceive as a lack of progress. MCC Threshold Programs Director Malik Ch [...] |
2009-04-06 09:50:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EFIN ETRD ECON KMCA TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE14 |
INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT 2009 - GABON [...] Per reftel, following is the 2009 Investment Climate Statement for Gabon. ------------------------------ Openness to Foreign Investment ------------------------------ 2. Gabon is generally open to foreign investment, with foreign firms controlling the country's three main sources of inco [...] |
2009-01-13 10:56:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV OPIC USTR KTDB EFIN ETRD ELAB PGOV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE15 |
INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT 2009 - SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE [...] Per reftel, following is the Investment Climate Statement for Sao Tome and Principe. ------------------------------ Openness to Foreign Investment ------------------------------ 2. While the Government of Sao Tome and Principe (GoSTP) has a positive attitude toward foreign investment, cu [...] |
2009-01-13 11:00:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV OPIC USTR KTDB EFIN ETRD ELAB PGOV TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE152 |
GABON: OIL REFINERY STRIKE LEADS TO FUEL SHORTAGES [...] (SBU) A threatened labor action in Gabon's critical oil sector came to fruition March 13 when employees of SOGARA, the country's only oil refinery, went on strike. According to Sylvain Pamlou, spokesperson for the Organization Nationale des Employees du Petrole (ONEP), the union representing th [...] |
2009-04-14 07:03:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB ECON EPET GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE16 |
GABON: DETAINED NGO LEADERS OUT ON BAIL [...] (C) Five NGO leaders and others arrested by Gabonese authorities in a December 31, 2008, crackdown (reftels) were released on bail January 12. The two most prominent detainees appeared initially to be in good physical condition. In a wide-ranging press conference days before the release, th [...] |
2009-01-13 13:16:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE195 |
GABON: PRESIDENT BONGO, SERIOUSLY ILL, "SUSPENDS" [...] (C) Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, who we believe was hospitalized on May 4, was discharged on the night of May 6-7 but remains gravely ill, according to well-informed medical sources. Informed speculation is that the president may be suffering from some form of cancer, compl [...] |
2009-05-07 13:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB ASEC |
| 09LIBREVILLE210 |
GABON: PRESIDENT BONGO SAID TO BE RECEIVING [...] (C) Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, who is seriously ill, is said to be receiving medical treatment in Europe. His precise location is unknown, although he appears to have traveled first to Spain, and may be receiving treatment there. His prognosis is uncertain. Unease is gr [...] |
2009-05-14 15:31:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM GB SP |
| 09LIBREVILLE211 |
CEEAC/ECCAS PURSUES AMBITIOUS AGENDA [...] (U) The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS, or French acronym "CEEAC") is the least developed of Africa's major regional organizations with responsibility for peace and security issues. CEEAC is nevertheless pursuing an ambitious agenda that includes oversight of a peacekeepi [...] |
2009-05-14 16:23:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KPKO MASS GB TP CD CG CF AO BY EK CM |
| 09LIBREVILLE22 |
GABON: WORRIES PERSIST OVER BONGO,S HEALTH [...] (C) Embassy visitors calling on a mid-ranking official at Gabon's presidential palace January 14 caught a rare glimpse of an extremely frail President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba being lifted into his presidential Rolls Royce en route to a ceremonial opening of the latest session of the Gabones [...] |
2009-01-15 15:19:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE220 |
GABON AFTER PRESIDENT OMAR BONGO [...] (C) Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, Africa's longest-serving head of state, is gravely ill. Following is Embassy Libreville's analysis of the prospects for succession and stability in Gabon, and the likely impact on U.S. interests. End Summary. ------------------------------ [...] |
2009-05-20 10:42:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR GB FR |
| 09LIBREVILLE23 |
GABON: BONGO'S NEW GOVERNMENT LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE [...] (SBU) Following weeks of public hints that a government shakeup was imminent, Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba announced a modest cabinet reshuffle January 14. The already-bloated cabinet grew from 43 to 48 positions (including deputy ministers). The new government, while it doe [...] |
2009-01-15 15:28:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE230 |
GABON'S CHINESE-BACKED 3.6 BILLION IRON MINE PROJECT AT A [...] (SBU) Since Gabon's May 2008 agreement with Chinese authorities for the development of Gabon's rich Belinga iron ore deposit (Ref. B), preliminary infrastructure work has stalled and no further activities are underway. Unofficial reports from government, diplomatic, and NGO sources cite the c [...] |
2009-05-22 07:08:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SENV EFIN EMIN PGOV GB CH |
| 09LIBREVILLE232 |
Gabon: Discontent May Close Schools Early [...] (U) Since tense negotiations ended a primary and secondary teachers' strike in December 2008, the problems facing Gabon's education sector have multiplied and spread to higher education. University professors are now on strike, demanding better pay and working conditions, and their colleagues a [...] |
2009-05-22 07:08:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB SOCI PGOV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE235 |
GABON RESPONSE TO KOSOVO WORLD BANK MEMBERSHIP [...] No summary [...] |
2009-05-26 14:13:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV GB KV |
| 09LIBREVILLE236 |
SAO TOME & PRINCIPE: KOSOVO WORLD BANK MEMBERSHIP [...] (U) EconOff delivered reftel demarche to Ambassador Homero Salvaterra, Special Counselor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Sao Tome & Principe, on March 22. 2.(C) Ambassador Salvaterra understood our position, but was unable to confirm the support of the Government of Sao Tome & Princip [...] |
2009-05-26 15:07:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL TP KV |
| 09LIBREVILLE238 |
GABONESE TEACHERS POSTPONE STRIKE AS GOVERNMENT [...] (U) Acting to avoid a debilitating teacher's strike (Ref. A), the Gabonese Government finally delivered a long-promised salary supplement on May 28. However, the main teachers' union warned that a strike is still possible if the government fails to pay 2000-5000 teachers who still have not ye [...] |
2009-05-28 15:47:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ELAB KDEM PGOV PINR SOCI GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE239 |
GABON: ANTI-CORRUPTION NGO MEETS WITH SENIOR GOVERNMENT [...] (SBU) An international delegation from the NGO Publish What You Pay (PWYP) met with senior Gabonese government officials recently to discuss transparency in the oil, mining and timber industries and alleged mistreatment of local PWYP officials. The delegation reported that their meetings were [...] |
2009-05-28 16:02:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE245 |
GABON: REGIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS [...] (C) Gabon is concerned about the future of the MICOPAX peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, maritime security, potential Hezbollah activity in West and Central Africa, and other issues, Defense Minister Ali Bongo Ondimba told the Ambassador in a wide-ranging conversation. End [...] |
2009-06-02 16:22:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR PINR GB FR |
| 09LIBREVILLE246 |
GABON: POLITICAL SCENE IN FLUX WITH PRESIDENT [...] (C) Gabon's political scene remains in flux with President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba hospitalized with a serious illness in Spain and his son the Defense Minister (and possible heir-apparent) Ali Bongo visibly weakened after recent hospitalization for an intestinal problem. Ali's half-siste [...] |
2009-06-02 16:22:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PHUM FR GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE247 |
GABON WORRIED ABOUT UPCOMING CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE) [...] (C) Gabon views the July 12 presidential election in the neighboring Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) with "great concern," according to Minister of Defense Ali Bongo Ondimba. Bongo said a significant number of Congolese have crossed the ROC/Gabon border in recent weeks, fearing a resurgence o [...] |
2009-06-03 09:41:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM CF CG GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE256 |
GABON CLAIMS NIGER DELTA MILITANTS IN SAO TOME [...] (C) Gabon's defense minister claims that a senior official in Sao Tome and Principe (STP) recently told him that militants from Nigeria's Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) have infiltrated the Portuguese-speaking island nation off Nigeria's coast. Meanwhile, in Gabon, of [...] |
2009-06-04 12:15:00 | Embassy Libreville | SECRET | PGOV PINR PREL MARR SNAR GB TP NI |
| 09LIBREVILLE262 |
GABONESE FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS IRAN [...] (C) According to the French Ambassador to Gabon, Gabonese Foreign Minister Paul Toungui recently visited Tehran where he and Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki talked about visas, improving economic relations, and establishing regular talks between Gabon and Iran. The French Ambassador said tha [...] |
2009-06-05 09:46:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GB IR |
| 09LIBREVILLE267 |
GABON'S RESPONSE TO RENEWING THE SUDAN SPECIAL [...] No summary [...] |
2009-06-08 09:19:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | AORC PHUM PREL SU AF GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE269 |
EMBASSY GABON'S OUTREACH FOR THE PRESIDENT'S [...] (U) In response to REFTEL, post hosted twelve local religious leaders at the Ambassador,s residence to watch the speech delivered at Cairo University on June 4. Reactions to the speech were uniformly positive. Post specifically targeted religious leaders, with the majority being influential [...] |
2009-06-08 17:37:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | KDEM KPAO PGOV PREL |
| 09LIBREVILLE27 |
GABON: EIGHT FRENCH SOLDIERS DIE IN HELICOPTER [...] (U) A French military helicopter crashed off the Gabonese coast January 17, killing eight of ten French military personnel aboard. The Couger helicopter had just lifted off from the French amphibious assault ship La Foudre, in Gabon for a bilateral training exercise. French President Nicolas [...] |
2009-01-20 12:53:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR PREL MASS CASC GB FR |
| 09LIBREVILLE270 |
PRESIDENT OMAR BONGO DEAD AT 1430 LOCAL [...] (U) Gabonese officials have confirmed that President Omar Bongo Ondimba passed away on June 8 at 1430 Gabonese time. The Government of Gabon has announced a 30-day period of mourning. There are no details on the funeral yet. The Gabonese military is on alert, the international airport is clo [...] |
2009-06-08 17:37:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GB SP FR |
| 09LIBREVILLE275 |
GABON: EAC MEETING CONVENED FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT [...] (SBU) Following the announcement of the death of Gabon's President Omar Bongo Ondimba, a meeting of Post's EAC was convened at 1930 at the CMR. The meeting was chaired by the Ambassador. 2. (SBU) The first order of business was an accounting of all official embassy personnel, family members [...] |
2009-06-09 14:21:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AMGT PREL ASEC GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE276 |
GABON THE DAY AFTER: LIBREVILLE QUIET, SUCCESSION [...] (U) The post-Omar Bongo era has begun. Prime Minister Eyeghe Ndong returned to Libreville from Barcelona to push along the constitutionally-mandated succession process. Following the articles of succession in the constitution, the Council of Ministers unanimously voted to refer the question o [...] |
2009-06-09 16:49:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINS PREL GB FR SP TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE281 |
GABON: U.S. INTERESTS IN THE POST-BONGO ERA [...] (C) About a dozen African heads of state, French President Sarkozy, AU Chair Jean Ping and other luminaries are expected in Libreville for Gabonese President Omar Bongo's June 16 state funeral. Drawing on our excellent condolence message, any U.S. delegation should honor Bongo's memory and f [...] |
2009-06-12 11:53:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE288 |
GABON: DYNAMICS OF OMAR BONGO'S FUNERAL [...] (C) President Omar Bongo's funeral was a solemn event marked by the presence of fourteen African heads of state and French President Sarkozy. In separate meetings with Interim President Rose Rogombe and Defense Minister Ali Bongo, the U.S. Presidential delegation emphasized the importance of [...] |
2009-06-17 18:25:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GB FR |
| 09LIBREVILLE295 |
GABON: GOVERNMENT DISMISSED, REAPPOINTED, AND [...] (C) On June 19 Interim President Rose Francine Rogombe accepted the constitutionally-mandated resignation of Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong and the demission of the Cabinet of Ministers. Ndong was appointed hours later to head a transitional government that looks much like its predecessor. [...] |
2009-06-22 16:29:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREF GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE3 |
GABON: NGO ACTIVISTS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED [...] (C) Marc Ona, other NGO activists and journalists arrested New Years' Eve are supposed to be released today according to Gabonese law (LIBREVILLE 002). In a status called "garde a vue", individuals can be held in police custody lawfully without formal charges against them for a total 72 hou [...] |
2009-01-06 13:56:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE302 |
GABON: INTERIM PRESIDENT OPENS DISCUSSIONS ON [...] (U) Interim President Rose Rogombe announced June 20 that she would launch a dialogue and consultations with Gabon,s political and civic actors to reach consensus concerning the election of Gabon,s next President. Her consultations began three days later with the leadership of the ruling Democ [...] |
2009-06-25 16:30:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE307 |
JOINT GABONESE-CHINESE MEDICAL-MILITARY EXERCISE [...] (C) SUMMARY. From June 21-28, "Angel of Peace 2009," a joint Gabonese-Chinese medical-military exercise took place in Ogooue Ivindo province, the location of the proposed $3 billion Chinese-funded Belinga iron mining project (Reftel). Notably, the formal ceremony included a simulation of an ex [...] |
2009-06-29 15:49:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PMIL PGOV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE310 |
GABON: ANNULLED SCHOOL YEAR AVERTED... FOR NOW [...] (C) The possibile annulment of the 2008-2009 school year was resolved between the teachers and Gabonese Government on June 27. President Omar Bongo had been the arbiter of union demands and ended most lingering strikes. Without his intervention, the teachers' stike continued until the Prime [...] |
2009-06-30 14:03:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE318 |
GABON: NO DATE YET FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, BUT [...] (C) Preparations for Gabon's presidential election are underway, including the revision of electoral lists and determining the number of local electoral commissions. However, an election date has not yet been determined and there is broad agreement across the political spectrum that more time [...] |
2009-07-06 12:58:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE321 |
GABON: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES STEP FORWARD [...] (U) Gabon,s election is shaping up to be the country,s first truly comprehensive election since independence. The ruling Democratic Party of Gabon (PDG) announced last week a July 4 deadline for submission of names of presidential candidates from the party's membership. In total, there are t [...] |
2009-07-07 16:10:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE323 |
GABON: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BY SEPTEMBER 6 [...] (C) The Constitutional Court ruled on July 8 after declaring the existence of a "force majeure," that the upcoming presidential election must occur no later than September 6 The ruling Democratic Party of Gabon has missed its self-imposed July 8 date to announce its candidate from among ten [...] |
2009-07-09 13:45:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE34 |
GABON: ECCAS/CEEAC PITCHES FOR U.S. MILITARY [...] (C) The head of the military joint staff of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS/CEEAC) made a pitch for U.S. assistance, outlined regional security initiatives and introduced his multinational staff in a lively meeting January 12 meeting with Emboffs and the visiting AF/C [...] |
2009-01-23 10:02:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MASS KPKO CT CD CG SU GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE344 |
GABON: VOTER REGISTRATION CLOSED, MINISTER OF [...] (C) Voter registration for Gabon's upcoming presidential election ended on July 22 after being extended an extra day due to higher-than-expected demand. Long lines and early closings of registration offices have fueled complaints by citizens and political opponents to the ruling party. Casami [...] |
2009-07-23 16:14:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE349 |
GABON: WHO'S WHO OF THE FRONT-RUNNING [...] (C) With the race for the Gabonese presidency underway, there are a number of presidential hopefuls who will remain important throughout the election cycle. The full roster of candidates, 23 in all, contains only a handful of legitimate contenders to succeed Omar Bongo. This cable identifies [...] |
2009-07-29 12:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE36 |
GABON: PRISON UPRISING EXPOSES DEPLORABLE [...] (C) An uprising at Libreville's Central Prison January 19 left three prisoners dead and several wounded before authorities restored order. Trouble started when prisoners took four guards hostage in a protest over filthy living conditions and lengthy pretrial detention. The government's inter [...] |
2009-01-26 05:21:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE364 |
GABON: TELECOMMUNICATIONS STRIKE SHUTS DOWN [...] (C) In the critical lead time prior to Gabon,s presidential election August 30th, much of the country is without internet and telephone capability. A strike by Gabon Telecommunication workers has resulted in internet, land, and cellular lines being disabled, and is affecting all subsidiaries [...] |
2009-08-04 14:12:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ECPS EINT EINV ELAB ETTC |
| 09LIBREVILLE365 |
SAO TOME: ELECTION TIMING UNRESOLVED, ECONOMIC [...] (C) Dates for country-wide National Assembly and Presidential elections in Sao Tome and Principe (STP) are unresolved due to the severe lack of funds of the Sao Tomean Government. Originally scheduled for summer 2009, the Government announced in June that it did not have the required 2 millio [...] |
2009-08-05 13:16:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON EINV PGOV PREL TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE367 |
GABON: TELECOMMUNICATIONS STRIKE "SUSPENDED, NOT [...] (C) The strike by Gabon Telecom workers that has crippled Gabon's telecommunications since July has been temporarily halted through accession to Gabonese government requests by parent company, Maroc Telecom. Union leaders informed us that a final decision regarding workers' demands should be [...] |
2009-08-06 13:30:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ECPS EINT EINV ELAB ETTC GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE368 |
GABON: ELECTION MISCELLANY [...] (C) As Gabon enters into an unprecedented period in its history, Gabonese politics also struggles to define the norms for the first truly unpredictable political landscape in 41 years. New election tactics like the use of short messaging services (SMS) and billboards are prompting local debate [...] |
2009-08-06 15:31:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE37 |
GABON REFORMS CIVIL AVIATION AMID CONCERNS OVER [...] (SBU) Civil aviation in Gabon is in disarray. Since July 2008, the European Union has imposed safety-related restrictions on all Gabon-certified air carriers, including a complete ban on most companies. In response, Gabon is scrambling to put in place a new, independent civil aviation author [...] |
2009-01-26 11:00:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON EINV GB TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE38 |
GABON: ACTIVISTS SAY GOVERNMENT TRUMPED UP [...] (C) The Ambassador met January 16 with two Gabonese NGO leaders under investigation for an alleged plot to undermine state security. Marc Ona and Georges Mpaga, arrested on New Year's Eve, were released January 12 but are still subject to a lengthy investigation and trial. Neither is free to [...] |
2009-01-26 11:00:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL SENV SOCI GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE386 |
GABON: ELECTION OBSERVATION UPDATE [...] (C) The African Union (AU) pre-election evaluation delegation led by Dr. Albert Tevoedjre, Mediator of Benin, visited Libreville the week of August 10. The delegation included former ministerial-level and election commission officials from Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritius. Sent by AU Peace [...] |
2009-08-14 13:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE387 |
GABON: PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS IN FULL SWING: ALI [...] (C) Gabon,s two week presidential campaign period officially started August 15 with launch rallies held by most, if not all, 23 candidates in Libreville. Also on the eve of the campaign Bongo stepped down as Defense Minister. Quickly establishing himself as the spending forerunner, ruling PDG [...] |
2009-08-19 15:57:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE388 |
GABON: PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS IN FULL SWING; ALI [...] (C) Gabon's two week presidential campaign period officially started August 15 with launch rallies held by most, if not all, 23 candidates in Libreville. Also on the eve of the campaign Bongo stepped down as Defense Minister. Quickly establishing himself as the spending forerunner, ruling PDG [...] |
2009-08-19 16:07:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE389 |
GABON: ELECTION MISCELLANY II [...] (C) The jockeying for position and desire for votes by the candidates of the Gabonese presidency has steadily risen in intensity. Bruno Ben Moubamba, an independent candidate, is in the sixth day of a hunger strike to protest irregularities regarding the Constitutional Court and electoral list [...] |
2009-08-21 13:55:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE39 |
GABON: CHILD LABOR INFORMATION FOR TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT [...] In Gabon, the problem of child labor in Gabon is closely linked to trafficking in persons, and efforts to combat the worst forms of child labor are merged with efforts to combat child trafficking. This identification is supported by the limited data available. This includes a 1998/99 ILO/IPEC [...] |
2009-01-30 12:01:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM PGOV SOCI GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE392 |
GABON: FIRST CASE OF H1N1 CONFIRMED [...] (C) Gabon recently suffered its first confirmed case of H1N1 (Influenza A) Swine Flu, resulting in heightened public awareness and the development of a multi-Ministry committee to respond to the threat, while neighboring island country So Tome & Principe remains surprisingly aggressive in their [...] |
2009-08-24 14:11:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KFLU TBIO EAID GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE395 |
GABON: IS THE VOTERS LIST INFLATED? [...] (C) Independent candidate Bruno Ben Moubamba was hospitalized briefly on August 22 in the 7th day of his hunger strike (reftel). He returned to his spot at the entrance of the National Assembly after being treated and is now drinking juices. Prior to the start of the hunger strike Moubamba [...] |
2009-08-25 13:14:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE397 |
GABON: JEAN PING SENDS AN AU WISEMAN TO [...] (C) In addition to sending an election observer team to Gabon, African Union (AU) Peace and Security Commission President Jean Ping also dispatched a high-level envoy to facilitate a smooth transition to the new President. Former Senegalese Prime Minister Moustapha Niasse called on the Ambas [...] |
2009-08-28 12:47:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE398 |
GABON: SECURITY ISSUES FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL [...] (C) Libreville is calm and will likely remain so in the leadup to the August 30 presidential election. For the first time in 41 years the Gabonese will not have Omar Bongo as the shoo-in candidate. Since the rules that applied under Omar Bongo's presidency are now in flux, security and peacef [...] |
2009-08-28 15:02:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE399 |
GABON: A PARTING SHOT BEFORE THE ELECTION [...] (C) Two days before Gabonese go to the polls, twenty-three candidates are still officially in the race for the presidency. Despite press reports of discussions between eleven opposition and independent candidates to support Andre Mba Obame, no alliances have formed to strengthen support for o [...] |
2009-08-28 20:08:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE40 |
GABON: GLIMPSES OF RULING PARTY TENSION IN SENATE [...] (U) The ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) won an unsurprising and overwhelming victory in the January 18 senatorial election, despite ongoing internal party strife. Winning 75 of the 102 senate seats, many of the PDG candidates ran uncontested. Gabonese senators are chosen by a college o [...] |
2009-01-30 14:09:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE405 |
GABON: ALI DECLARED WINNER, LIBREVILLE LOCKED [...] (C) The Gabonese Electoral Commission declared Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba, the ruling party candidate, the winner of the presidential election on September 3. Gabonese security forces dispersed a crowd of an estimated 2000 supporters of various opposition leaders who had gathered in a downtown ar [...] |
2009-09-03 15:09:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE412 |
GABON: THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: DOUBTS ABOUT [...] (C) Gabon,s presidential election process continues to move forward. On September 4, Ali Bongo Ondimba was announced as the winner of the August 30 presidential election (Reftel). Opposition requests for an independent vote count were rejected. Losing candidates have 15 days (until Septembe [...] |
2009-09-11 10:08:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE413 |
GABON: RESPONSE FOR POTUS LUNCH WITH AF [...] This cable is a response to the action request in REFTEL. 2. The attendee from Gabon will be: Ali BONGO ONDIMBA (Bon - Go On - Deem - ba). Ali Ondimba's official position is currently President-elect, however by the date of the event he may be formally invested as President of the Republic [...] |
2009-09-11 12:29:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL UNGA AF GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE414 |
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: RESPONSE FOR POTUS LUNCH [...] This cable is a response to the action request in REFTEL. 2. The attendee from Sao Tome and Principe will be: His Excellency Fradique Bandeira de MENEZES (Men - Ez). Mr. Menezes's official position is President of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. 3. President Menezes [...] |
2009-09-11 12:33:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL UNGA TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE416 |
GABON: PRESIDENT-ELECT BONGO'S WHISTLE STOP REGIONAL TOUR [...] (U) Gabon's President-elect Ali Bongo Ondimba has spent the last several days visiting heads of state in the Central Africa region. On September 11, Bongo met with Cameroonian President Paul Biya in Yaounde and President Denis Sassou Nguessou in Congo-Brazzaville. On September 12, he was receiv [...] |
2009-09-15 11:32:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM AO CD CF CG CM EK GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE421 |
GABON: OPPOSITION IN DISSARAY FOLLOWING THE [...] (C) The Gabonese opposition has been unable to present a meaningful challenge to the results of the August 30 election despite lingering questions about the legitimacy of the vote count. With 18 candidates on election day, the opposition's failure to coordinate split the vote, giving Ali Bongo [...] |
2009-09-18 10:31:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV |
| 09LIBREVILLE428 |
GABON: INFORMATION ON RUSSIAN PRESENCE IN GABON [...] (U) Per reftel, post provides the following information on the Russian presence in Gabon. 2. (U) IS THERE A RUSSIAN TRADE REPRESENTATION IN YOUR COUNTRY? The Russian Embassy in Gabon consists of three diplomats: the Ambassador, Vladimir E. Tarabrin, and a married couple, who both work i [...] |
2009-09-25 07:27:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR EINV GB RS ECON |
| 09LIBREVILLE430 |
GABON: OPPOSITION ORGANIZES TO PRESENT THEIR CASE [...] (C) A 19-member delegation representing Gabon's political opposition presented their case against the election of Ali Bongo Ondimba to the Ambassador on September 25. The opposition is using its newly-found united front with foreign embassies and international missions to underscore their arg [...] |
2009-09-25 15:18:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE431 |
GABON: PROBLEMS ARISING OVER PRESIDENTIAL RECOUNT [...] (U) Summary: Gabon's Constitutional Court announced its plans to review the government's vote tallies and other challenges to President-elect Ali Bongo Ondimba's victory, but opposition concerns with the court's methodology could delay the process. The opposition wants the court to compare th [...] |
2009-09-29 15:09:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KDEM GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE460 |
GABON: ALI BONGO INSTALLATION, IMPLICATIONS FOR [...] (C) Summary: Ali Bongo Ondimba, the son of former President Omar Bongo who ruled Gabon for 41 years, will be formally inaugurated as the country's fourth president on October 16. The Constitutional Court's validation of the August 30 election results on October 11 and Bongo's installation end [...] |
2009-10-15 15:18:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB EK |
| 09LIBREVILLE466 |
GABON: NEW FACES IN LEANER ALI BONGO CABINET, PART [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Ali Bongo Ondimba era has begun in Gabon with the naming of a new cabinet. President Bongo lived up to a campaign promise, cutting more than 15 senior positions in the government and consolidating a number of ministries. New and younger faces now head the remaining ministries [...] |
2009-10-19 16:47:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE467 |
GABON: ALI BONGO ARRESTS KEY PLAYERS IN REGIONAL BANK [...] (SBU) Summary: Newly installed Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba recalled Philibert Andzembe, the Governor of the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC), who is Gabonese, in the wake of revelations about the $82 million financial scandal. Press sources are reporting that two other [...] |
2009-10-20 14:47:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KCOR GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE47 |
CENTRAL AFRICAN LEADERS CONFRONT ECONOMIC CRISIS [...] SUMMARY: The heads of state of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) met in Libreville to discuss regional implications of the current world economic crisis and to plan concerted measures to deal with the crisis. Also on the agenda were the estimated USD 584 million inves [...] |
2009-02-06 09:17:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EAID ECIN GB CM CT CD CF EK ZF |
| 09LIBREVILLE471 |
GABON: ALI BONGO TRAVELS REGIONALLY, DEALS WITH LOCAL [...] SUMMARY. President Ali Bongo Ondimba wasted no time after his inauguration to travel regionally in an effort to establish his credentials outside of Gabon. President Bongo travelled to the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he met with s [...] |
2009-10-26 13:28:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE48 |
ECHOES OF WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS SOUND IN GABON [...] SUMMARY: With an economy almost entirely dependent on the export of raw materials -- mainly petroleum, manganese, and timber -- Gabon has experienced significant recessionary effects linked to the current international economic crisis. Private sector decision-makers are taking a cautious appro [...] |
2009-02-06 09:35:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EPET EMIN EAGR GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE481 |
GABON: PPRESIDENT ALI BONGO CHANGES WAY GOVERNMENT [...] (C) Summary: President Ali Bongo's changes to the government are shaking up the way Gabon does business. His efforts look to streamline the government and focused its agenda. He continues to eliminate "dead-weight" positions throughout the government. He has capped the maximum public secto [...] |
2009-11-02 14:33:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE485 |
GABON AND SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: SECURITY DIALOGUE [...] Summary: The U.S. has a strong bilateral military cooperation relationship with both Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe. There are no established bilateral security dialogues between the U.S. and either country. Military and security cooperation is conducted through daily interactions with our [...] |
2009-11-05 05:28:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL MOPS GB STP |
| 09LIBREVILLE487 |
GABON: SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. CANDIDATE FOR IMO "IN [...] On November 3, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Director General Monkala told poloff that "in principle" Gabon would have no problem supporting the U.S. candidacy for the International Maritime Organization. Monkala said that he could not give a definitive answer, but that the U.S.'s long h [...] |
2009-11-05 10:11:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC IMO EWWT PHSA GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE490 |
GABON: ABSTENTION ON THE GOLDSTONE REPORT A [...] On November 4, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General of the Americas Desk Bika Bisso told poloff that Gabon may decide to abstain from voting on the Goldstone Report. Bika Bisso said that he could not give a definitive answer, but that Gabon had abstained in the past on similar measure [...] |
2009-11-05 14:10:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM PTER IS KPAL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE492 |
Letter from Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba to U.S. [...] The following message is an English translation of a letter received from Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba addressed to President Barack Obama, dated October 30, 2009. This letter is in response to President Obama's congratulatory letter on President Bongo's recent investiture. 2. [Be [...] |
2009-11-09 05:53:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | OPDC PREL OVIP GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE495 |
GABON: NATIONAL PARKS FACING SIGNIFICANT [...] (SBU) Summary: Gabon's newly-appointed director of the National Parks Agency (ANPN), biologist and environmentalist Dr. Lee White, reviewed the current status of the parks authority, anticipated next steps to develop eco-tourism and the parks, and provided a general background on the status of [...] |
2009-11-12 07:18:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE498 |
GABON: SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. FOOD SECURITY OBJECTIVES [...] No summary [...] |
2009-11-13 07:03:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR EAID ETRD PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE499 |
GABON: GOVERNMENT DEVELOPS ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE [...] SUMMARY. Ali Bongo's new cabinet spent the weekend of November 7-9 at an off-site seminar in Lope National Park, located several hours by train from Libreville. The Prime Minister and members of government were tasked by President Bongo to develop a road map for "Emerging Gabon: Building a Sh [...] |
2009-11-16 11:27:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE501 |
SAO TOME: LETTER FROM MENEZES CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT OBAMA [...] On November 12 the Embassy received a letter dated October 10 from Sao Tome and Principe President Fradique Menezes for President Obama conveying congratulations for the award of the Nobel Peace Prize. 2. The translated letter reads as follows: Dear Mr. President, It is with great plea [...] |
2009-11-16 13:25:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE504 |
GABON: U.S. OIL COMPANY SELLS ASSETS DUE TO OIL [...] No summary [...] |
2009-11-17 09:07:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EPET ENRG EIND TPHY GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE506 |
GABON: U.S. OIL COMPANY SELLS ASSETS DUE TO OIL [...] (SBU) Summary: U.S.-owned Marathon Oil sold its permits and holdings in Gabon to a French company, but will continue to monitor its exploration of offshore blocks from Houston. This move effectively discontinues Marathon's active operations on-the-ground. Another U.S. company, Vaalco, remai [...] |
2009-11-17 12:45:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG EIND TPHY GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE508 |
GABON: 2009 TIP INTERIM ASSESSMENT [...] Summary: Post provides the following response keyed to questions in ref A. Gabon's new government has demonstrated an energized commitment to combating trafficking in persons. During the reporting period (February-November), the deaths of Gabon's First Lady Edith Bongo in March and President [...] |
2009-11-17 14:07:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KTIP KWMN KCRM SMIG GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE510 |
GABON: SEVERAL INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS ARE SUSPENDED FOR [...] (U). Summary: After several months of a more open press environment during Gabon's political transition, the National Council for Communication (CNC) suspended six independent newspapers from one to three months for "violations of the principles of professional ethics." Several of the suspend [...] |
2009-11-18 14:12:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KDEM KCOR KPAO PINS SOCI GB TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE518 |
GABON: FIRST DANIEL PEARL WORLD MUSIC DAYS A POPULAR AND [...] (U) Summary. The first-ever Gabonese Daniel Pearl World Music Days celebration was held in Libreville from November 17-20, with the participation of partner embassies Spain, Japan, Korea, and France making it truly a multicultural event. A two-night music and film festival was open to the pub [...] |
2009-11-24 12:23:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO PHUM OIIP AO GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE538 |
GABON: RULING PARTY LOSING GROUND IN OPPOSITION [...] (C) SUMMARY. Gabon's ruling Democratic Party is on the verge of losing its only toehold in Port Gentil, the country's second largest commercial center and opposition stronghold. Port Gentil's current mayor, Andre Jules Ndjambe, is likely to be ousted in the next week after losing the confide [...] |
2009-12-09 05:00:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE539 |
GABON: PRESIDENT BONGO SAYS HE WILL FOCUS ON [...] No summary [...] |
2009-12-09 05:02:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | TSPL SENV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE540 |
GABON AND SAO TOME: CUBAN CONNECTIONS WITH GABON [...] Per reftel, post provides the following information regarding Gabonese-Cuban and Sao Tomean-Cuban relations. Gabonese and Cuban Government contacts are extremely limited. Sao Tomean relations with Cuba are more established, but still quite limited. The most visible signs of the relationship [...] |
2009-12-09 05:02:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD ETTC GB TP CU |
| 09LIBREVILLE543 |
GABON: UTILITY PROBLEMS PLAGUE LIBREVILLE [...] Summary: Electrical and water service in Gabon is becoming increasingly unreliable and is presenting a potentially serious challenge to the government. Previously unheard of, rolling blackouts, frequent power outages, and lack of water are now common. The partially government-managed Electr [...] |
2009-12-10 08:37:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE545 |
GABON: COMIFAC DEMARCHE DELIVERED DEPUTY MINISTER [...] No summary [...] |
2009-12-11 12:22:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON SENV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE547 |
GABON: PRESIDENT BONGO TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION [...] (c) Summary: In a December 4 meeting with the Ambassador, Gabon,s President Ali Bongo Ondimba said he would like to strengthen the good bilateral cooperation that already exists with the U.S., and pledged to stay involved in facilitating solutions to regional conflict. President Bongo comment [...] |
2009-12-15 12:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | KHUM KTIP PGOV PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE550 |
GABON: FORWARD THINKING TO NEGATE DEFAMATION OF RELIGION [...] (SBU) I welcome the opportunity to work with you on combating racial and religious discrimination and intolerance (reftel). In the past, unfortunately Gabon has voted "yes" and abstained on the anti-defamation resolutions, despite our efforts. Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials have expla [...] |
2009-12-21 13:20:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL KISL KDEM PROVE OPDC GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE56 |
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: COUP PLOT FOILED? [...] (U) According to information trickling out of Sao Tome and Principe (STP), security forces thwarted a suspected coup plot by arresting several suspects on the evening of February 11. Information is sketchy, but initial reports indicate that the former paramilitary group known as the Buffalos [...] |
2009-02-12 16:03:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR CASC GB TP |
| 09LIBREVILLE57 |
GABON: CHAD-SUDAN PEACE PROCESS WAY OFF TRACK [...] No summary [...] |
2009-02-12 16:04:00 | Embassy Libreville | SECRET | PGOV PREL PHUM SU CD CF GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE58 |
GABON LIKELY TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO [...] No summary [...] |
2009-02-12 16:06:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AORC UNSC KV GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE61 |
GABON: ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED FOR INCREASED LAW [...] (U) Per reftel, please find the requested information to help further define law enforcement and judicial training needs for Gabon. 2. (C) All responses are keyed to questions from paragraph 2 in reftel: -- Controlling the flow of illegal immigrants (including trafficking victims) and go [...] |
2009-02-20 06:09:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KCRM ASEC GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE7 |
GABON: DETAINED ACTIVISTS SCHEDULED FOR [...] (C) Seven persons detained in a crackdown on anti-corruption and anti-government activists were scheduled to be arraigned in a Libreville court on the afternoon of January 7. Details of potential charges against the detainees are not available. One of the detainees told us they are being he [...] |
2009-01-07 14:34:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE74 |
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED FOR [...] (U) Per reftel, please find the requested information to help further define law enforcement and judicial training needs for Gabon. 2. (C) All responses are keyed to questions from paragraph 2 in reftel: -- Maritime border control poses a significant challenge for the poor island country [...] |
2009-02-26 11:22:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KCRM ASEC GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE76 |
GABON: GOVERNMENT AT A NEAR-STANDSTILL [...] (C) Gabonese President El Hadjj Ombar Bongo Ondimba has been in Morocco since February 5, attending to his ailing 45-year old wife Edith, who is said to be incapacitated and possibly near death. A media blackout on the case continues in Gabon, and all but the most critical government decision [...] |
2009-02-27 10:39:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON SOCI GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE87 |
GABONESE GOVERNMENT LASHES OUT AT FRANCE [...] (U) Gabon's foreign minister convoked the diplomatic corps March 6 to deliver a scathing indictment of the French "media campaign" against President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, which the foreign minister says threatens to seriously damage relations with France. He noted bitterly that the cam [...] |
2009-03-06 10:40:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL GB FR |
| 09LIBREVILLE9 |
ACTIVISTS CHARGED WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE [...] (C) Civil society activist Marc Ona is among several NGO activists reportedly charged under Article 88 of Gabon's Penal Code with the intent to distribute "propaganda, written or oral, that could disturb the peace, incite a revolt against the authorities, attack the Republic of Gabon by tarnis [...] |
2009-01-08 15:09:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GB |
| 09LIBREVILLE96 |
GABON: UNION LEADERS WARN OF IMMINENT STRIKES IN [...] (C) Union leaders in Port Gentil, the center of Gabon's petroleum production, warn that one or more strikes by oil workers are imminent. Though splintered into dozens of small unions and five overlapping confederations, labor leaders in the petroleum sector are united by a cause that may soo [...] |
2009-03-12 15:05:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ELAB ECON EPET GB |
| 10LIBREVILLE10 |
GABON: VIEWS ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Homosexuality is not a polarizing issue in Gabon. Homosexuality is currently not illegal, but remains a social taboo within this highly conservative population. As a result, public awareness of homosexuality is low and openly homosexual individuals are difficult to find. Howev [...] |
2010-01-06 09:16:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM GB |
| 10LIBREVILLE23 |
GABON: ECONOMIC TRANSPARENCY UPDATE [...] (SBU) Summary: Gabon's new President, Ali Bongo Ondimba, announced bold economic reforms upon taking office in October 2009. His ambitious agenda is aimed at jump-starting the country's deteriorating economy and changing the way business is done in Gabon to attract investors. Anti-corruption [...] |
2010-01-14 05:38:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON GB |
| 10LIBREVILLE37 |
GABON: FORCED AND CHILD LABOR IN EXPORT PRODUCTS (2010) [...] Per reftel, post provides this response to questions regarding forced and child labor in the production of export products. Post's response to annual child labor reporting requirements follows in septel. Forced, child, and exploitive labor in the production of exports goods is not a signific [...] |
2010-01-25 12:41:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD KTIP KCRM PHUM SOCI AID GB |
| 10LIBREVILLE45 |
GABON: PLEASED WITH PROGRESS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, [...] (C) SUMMARY. Gabon was one of the 28 countries that participated in the intensive negotiating sessions at the U.N. Conference on Climate Change and will associate with the Copenhagen Accord. Lee White, the Director of Gabon's National Parks and President Ali Bongo Ondimba's special advisor on [...] |
2010-02-02 10:59:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID SENV PGOV KSCA PREL UNEP GB |
| 10LIBREVILLE46 |
GABON: FOREIGN MINISTRY NON-COMITTAL ON IRAN [...] (C) SUMARY. Ambassador met with Gabon's Deputy Foreign Minister Jules Marius Ogouebandja to discuss Iran's non-compliance on nuclear issues and the importnce of Gabon's cooperation now that it has joined the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member. Ogouebandja stated that Ga [...] |
2010-02-02 11:18:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PGOV PRE GB IR |
| 10LIBREVILLE53 |
GABON: EXPLOITATIVE CHILD LABOR REPORT FOR THE TRADE AND [...] Per reftel, post provides this response to questions regarding exploitative child labor in the production of products. Post's response to annual child labor reporting requirements follows in septel. Forced, child, and exploitive labor in the production of exports goods is not a significant p [...] |
2010-02-05 06:19:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD KTIP KCRM PHUM SOCI AID GB |
| 10LIBREVILLE72 |
GABON: HIGH-LEVEL NORTH KOREAN VISIT; REQUEST FOR [...] (SBU) Gabonese Foreign Minister Paul Toungui officially informed the Ambassador on February 8 that a high-level North Korean delegation led by Kim Yong Nam will visit Libreville during a tour of African countries at the end of February. Kim Yong Nam is the President of the Presidium of the Su [...] |
2010-02-11 13:45:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL UNSC GB |
| 10LIBREVILLE88 |
GABON: OPPOSITION PARTIES UNITE TO FORM THE NATIONAL UNION [...] (U) Summary: Defectors from Gabon's ruling Democratic Party (PDG) and other opponents who challenged Ali Bongo Ondimba in the August 2009 election joined forces on February 10 to create a new political party, the National Union (UN). The UN brings together three opposition parties, the Gabone [...] |
2010-02-22 15:33:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KDEM |
| 10LIBREVILLE90 |
GABON: PRESIDENT BONGO ONDIMBA TRAVELING TO NEW YORK (MARCH [...] (SBU) President Ali Bongo Ondimba will visit New York from March 6 to March 9 when Gabon assumes the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Several aides traveled to New York to advance the President's visit and Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, Africa Program Director at the Inte [...] |
2010-02-22 15:54:00 | Embassy Libreville | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV UNSC GB |
| 7575LIBREVILLE1895 |
KOREA AT 30TH UNGA: GABON [...] No summary [...] |
1975-11-18 12:05:00 | Embassy Libreville | CONFIDENTIAL | PFOR UNGA GB KS KN |