High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for International Cooperation Neven Mimica issued a joint statement in French on Saturday 24 September, highlighting the need for a reform of the electoral system ahead of the forthcoming elections, so as to give the system greater credibility.
The outgoing president, Ali Bongo Ondimna, who has been in power since 2009, was officially re-elected after the Gabonese Constitutional Court rejected the appeal brought by his rival, Jean Ping, who complained of irregularities in the vote.
Mogherini and Mimica also regretted the fact that the EU's election observation mission had been given only very limited access to the appeals and complaints process. On Sunday, the mission's officials also reported a major issue with the Gabonese electoral system and regretted the fact that serious doubts regarding the results obtained in the province of Haut-Ogooué, a stronghold of the Bongo family, had not been put to rest.
Mogherini and Mimica pointed out that this could legitimately raise questions for the Gabonese people as to the integrity of the election process. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)