Luanda, Angola – In a significant development nearly a year after his ousting, former Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba has arrived in Angola along with his wife, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, and son, Noureddin Bongo.
The Angolan presidency confirmed the family’s arrival in Luanda on Thursday via its official Facebook page.
The Bongos had faced mounting legal and political pressure following the August 2023 military coup that removed Ali Bongo from power.
His wife and son were detained shortly after the coup on charges including embezzlement and corruption. They remained in custody for several months before being moved to house arrest last week, amid growing international calls for their release.
The Angolan presidency credited the release and relocation of the Bongo family to joint diplomatic efforts between Angolan President João Lourenço, in his capacity as Acting Chair of the African Union, and Gabon’s transitional leader, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.
“Following the demonstrations made by the President of the Republic of Angola and the President-in-Charge of the African Union, João Lourenço, together with President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema from Gabon, the Bongo family has been released and has just arrived in Luanda,” read the official statement.
Ali Bongo, who ruled Gabon for 14 years, was deposed after controversial elections in 2023 led to widespread allegations of fraud and mismanagement.
The coup was widely condemned but has since transitioned into a military-led interim government in Libreville.
The arrival of the Bongo family in Angola marks a new chapter in the unfolding post-coup political landscape of Gabon and signals increasing regional involvement in navigating its transition.
It remains unclear whether the Bongos will remain in Angola permanently or seek asylum.
