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Political instability in Africa was discussed during informal meetings of European Union ministers in Toledo, Spain. Defense ministers met at the summit on Wednesday, August 30. Today, Thursday, the Foreign Ministers are meeting. On both days, instability on the African continent and the war in Ukraine were discussed, which are the issues of greatest concern to the EU.
The summit is being held in Toledo because this has been decided by the presidency of the Council of the European Union, which in the second half of the year is governed by Spain.
The summit addressed the issue of the chain of coups d’état in Africa, which since 2012 have had their epicenter in the Sahel region. This chain includes Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, Sudan, Niger and now Gabon.
On the latest coup in Gabon the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, the European Union does not see necessary reasons for the evacuation of European citizens there, but does not rule it out if necessary.
Behind this chain of coups in the Sahel is the popular opposition to local regimes linked to France, the country of which they were former colonies. To this factor must be added the great instability in these countries, especially due to the presence of jihadist forces.
The Gabon coup has provoked reactions in the international community, such as the African Union, whose president Moussa Faki Mahamat, describing the coup as a “flagrant violation of the legal and political instruments” of the organization.
For his part, the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, also condemned the events, although he warned that the electoral process, which was taking place before the military coup, was irregular.
On the other hand, Josep Borrell lamented that the coup “increases instability in the entire central region” of the African continent, although he said he still did not have enough information.
Countries such as France and Russia pronounced themselves on the coup. Paris condemned the move and called to “respect” the result of the elections when it is known. Moscow expressed its “deep concern” through Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
