Last modified: 2007-02-10 by phil nelson
Keywords: gabon | president | equator | tricolour |
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![[Presidential Flag of Gabon since 1990]](../images/g/ga-pre90.gif)
image by Željko Heimer
Proportions: 3:4
Source: Smith (1982) [smi82]
See also:
Presidential Flag of Gabon since 1990: National
tricolour with white disk with the coat of arms in the middle. Before that a
square flag being banner of arms was used, as shown, e.g., in Smith (1982)
[smi82].
Željko Heimer
![[Presidential Flag of Gabon until 1990]](../images/g/ga_pre7x.gif)
image by Željko Heimer
Ratio: 1:1
Source: Smith (1982) [smi82]
Do we know why Gabon changed the presidential flag? I believe the president
has been the same person since 1967: Omar Bongo!
Marcus Schmöger, 4 October 2001
Since its independence, Gabon has had only two presidents, Le'on M'ba
(1961-1967) and Omar Bongo (1967-).
Ivan Sache, 4 October 2001
It was asked why the President's standard changed in the 1990's in spite of
no change in the President. A possible answer is political. In June 1990, the
16th French-African summit took place in La Baule. F. Mitterrand, then French
president, gave a famous speech in which he urgently asked for more democracy
in the African countries. It was not only a call but also a threat, which can
be summed up as: "There cannot be democracy without development, but
there cannot be development without democracy" (i.e. no more funds and
military help from France if there is no progress towards democracy). In
Gabon, a National Conference gathered from 27 March to 19 April 1990 and
imposed multi-partys to president Bongo, who had to abandon a few of his
personal powers. It is possible that this modification of the president's
status was reflected by a modification of his standard.
Ivan Sache, 6 October 2001