Kpatcha Gnassingbé in Gabon: towards a Gabonese mediation between the two brothers?

Former Togolese Defense Minister Kpatcha Gnassingbé (right) arrives at the court in Lomé on September 15, 2011. © Émile Kouton / AFP

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According to Gabonese sources, the authorities are ready to set up mediation between the Gnassingbé brothers. It could be led directly by Gabonese President Ali Bongo.

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With our correspondent in Libreville, Yves-Laurent Goma

Officially, the Gabonese authorities remain silent about the stay in the country of Kpatcha Gnassingbé. However, some sources said Gnassingbé arrived in Gabon last week. He arrived for treatment, but these same sources do not specify the hospital or clinic that received the patient. Nor do they specify the length of his stay or the legal status of Mr Gnassingbé.

► Read also: Togo: Kpatcha Gnassingbé, imprisoned brother of the head of state, authorized to go to Gabon for medical reasons

Another source, very high in the Gabonese administration, said that Libreville wants to take advantage of this medical stay of Kpatcha Gnassingbé to begin mediation with his brother, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé. "Fourteen years after the alleged coup attempt for which Kpatcha Gnassingbé was thrown in prison, it is time to start a reconciliation," our source said.

Gabonese President Ali Bongo would be personally willing to play a key role in this normalization process between the two sons of former Togolese President Etienne Gnassingbé Eyadema. Ali Bongo and Faure Gnassingbé have an excellent relationship. The Togolese number one has come to Libreville a dozen times in three years. Ali Bongo returned the lift to him last December and it would be during this trip that the transfer from Kpatcha to Libreville would have been decided.

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Read on on the same topics:

  • Gabon
  • Togo
  • Faure Gnassingbé
  • Diplomacy