Gabon: UK notes verdict of the Constitutional Court
A statement by UK government following the Constitutional Court's verdict on the outcome of the Presidential elections.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
UK issued the following statement:
The United Kingdom notes the verdict of the Gabonese Constitutional Court in confirming the victory of Ali Bongo Ondimba in last month’s Presidential election. We welcome the decision to use legal channels to address the dispute.
The United Kingdom further notes the comments by the European Union’s Election Observation Mission to Gabon highlighting areas of concern and regretting that the Constitutional Court of Gabon “had been unable to satisfactorily rectify anomalies observed during the count”. We continue to urge all sides to respect democratic norms and practices and emphasise the particular responsibility of the government to ensure transparency in order to create an environment of trust.
In the interests of the stability of Gabon, it is vital that all parties continue to exercise restraint and refrain from provocative rhetoric.