A press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the meeting between Minister Téte António and President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo took place on Saturday, in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
At the meeting, the minister appealed to Obiang to “intercede with the Gabonese authorities regarding what happened, calling on the Gabonese authorities to observe the principles of protection and safeguarding of the security and physical integrity of diplomatic entities accredited in that country, as set out in the different legal diplomas of law international, as well as continental, regional and sub-regional organizations”, reads the note.
Angola announced on Saturday that the home of the president of the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), Gilberto Veríssimo, of Angolan nationality, was robbed in Libreville and asked Gabon for explanations following this diplomatic incident.
“Ambassador Gilberto da Piedade Veríssimo saw his residence invaded by armed and uniformed men, of Gabonese nationality, on the morning of Wednesday, January 17th, who psychologically molested him, while they searched the compartments of his residence”, continues the note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting between Téte António and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo lasted approximately 30 minutes and “served the head of Angolan diplomacy to express his deep indignation at the attack on the safety and physical integrity of the Angolan ambassador Gilberto da Piedade Veríssimo, who carries out his legitimate duties president of CEEAC, based in Libreville, Republic of Gabon”, indicates the note.
Angola recalled the final communiqué of the V Extraordinary Session of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ECCAS, within the framework of the Council for Peace and Security in Africa, released in December last year, in Djibloho, Equatorial Guinea, which “expressly urged the Government of the Gabonese Republic to continue to guarantee security conditions” for the President, members and all staff of the Commission.
For its part, Gabon announced that an investigation had been opened to determine the perpetrators of this “regrettable act” and “the conditions under which it was committed”.
In a statement, the Gabon Ministry of Interior and Security reaffirms that the country, “aware of its reputation for hospitality and its diplomatic status in Africa, does not intend to abandon its international and community commitments regarding the protection of diplomats, diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in its territory, in full enjoyment of the diplomatic privileges and immunities associated with it”.
Angola "expressed deep displeasure at what had happened, vehemently repudiated what had happened and demanded plausible explanations from the Gabonese authorities" about the case.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendonça, called for "severe measures to be taken against the authors of such an act", stressing that it "put into question the security and physical integrity of the entities of that sub-regional organization, which exercise the its legitimate mandate in that country that holds the headquarters of ECCAS".
