Chad's President Idriss Déby, who is also the current head of the Economic Community of Central African States ("Eccas" in English, or "Cemac" in French), is the latest international figure to condemn the attempted coup in Gabon.

"Any change against the constitution or armed seizure of power is an aberration and in violation of the African Union's founding principles", he said in a statement.

In December, Gabon's Constitutional Court amended part of the constitution to allow the vice-president, Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou, to hold ministerial meetings and to unblock pending cases.

France and the African Union have also condemned today's attempted takeover by a group of soldiers in Gabon.