The military of Gabon, an African country sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Congo rain forest, announced a coup earlier today. Twelve senior officers appeared on television stating Gabon’s recent elections were annulled, the borders and state institutions are now closed, and the president is under house arrest.

The Gabonese government had just announced President Ali Bongo had won a third consecutive term. This would be the eighth successful coup in Western and Central Africa since 2020.

Some are rejoicing: Hundreds gathered near Gabon’s presidential palace to celebrate the coup. Gabon is rich in natural resources, including oil, but most of the country’s wealth has been siphoned off by the Bongo family.

The Bongo family has ruled Gabon for over half a century, leaving a third of its population of 2.3 million people in poverty. Many Gabonese hope this will change with the coup.

Europe is not: At a meeting of the European Union’s defense ministers in Spain, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell said:

If [the coup] is confirmed, it is another military coup which increases instability in the whole region. The whole area, starting with Central African Republic, then Mali, then Burkina Faso, now Niger, maybe Gabon, it’s in a very difficult situation and certainly the ministers … have to have a deep thought on what is going there and how we can improve our policy in respect with these countries.

Borrell said the instability in Africa “is a big issue for Europe.”

Where this will lead: Daniel 11:40-43 prophesies that Europe, under the prophetic name “the king of the north,” will soon clash with another major power, “the king of the south,” and will invade Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia. This implies a heavier European interest in Africa.

Expect Europe to become more and more concerned with instability in Africa. To learn more, request a free copy of The King of the South.