,,iv  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #hba  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,july #ab1 #bjaf,mr4  
,smi? ( ,new ,j]sey 7= himself1 ,mr4    
,engel1 ,mr4 ,royce1 & ,mr4 ,meeks7     
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign        
,affairs  ,,resolution  ,urg+ !         
,gov]nm5t ( ,gabon to respect democratic
 pr9ciples dur+ ! ,augu/ #bjaf          
presid5tial elections4  ,:]eas ! ,unit$ 
,/ates has deep int]e/s 9 ! political   
fre$om1 democratic /ability1 & regional 
lead]%ip ( ,gabon2 ,:]eas ,gabon boa/s a
 p] capita income f\r times t ( mo/     
sub-,sah>an ,african nations1 b because 
( high income inequality1 a l>ge        
proportion ( ! population rema9s poor2  
,:]eas despite con/ra9$ political       
conditions1 ,gabon's small population1  
abundant natural res\rces1 & consid]able
 =eign support h help$ make x "o ( ! m  
/able ,african c\ntries2 ,:]eas ,gabon  
ga9$ indep5d5ce f ,france 9 #aifj & ,om>
 ,bongo ,ondimba became presid5t 9      

#aifg1 solidify+ ! ,gabonese ,democratic
 ,p>ty 7,,pdg7 dom9ance ( p[] ev] s9ce2 
,:]eas ,gabon adopt$ a con/itution 9    
#aiia t =maliz$ a multip>ty sy/em &     
impos$ a two-t]m presid5tial t]m limit2 
,:]eas ! con/itution 0 am5d$ to remove  
presid5tial t]m limits 9 #bjjc2 ,:]eas  
,presid5t ,om> ,bongo ,ondima di$ 9     
,june #bjji aft] m ?an #dj ye>s 9 p[]1  
mak+ him "o ( ,africa's longe/ s]v+     
heads ( /ate2 ,:]eas foll[+ ! dea? (    
,presid5t ,om> ,bongo ,ondima1 elections
 7 ha/ily organiz$ 9 ,augu/ #bjji 9 :i* 
! son ( ! =m] presid5t1 ,ali ,bongo     
,ondimba1 0 elect$ ) #da p]c5t ( ! vote2
 ,:]eas ! legitimacy ( ! #bjji election 
results 0 l>gely disput$ by opposition  
p>ties & civil society1 & greatly       
increas$ political t5sions 9 ! c\ntry   
s9ce2 ,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate report$
 t ! #bjji elections 7 plagu$ ) in/ances
 ( de/ructive demon/rations1 human      
rights abuses1 irregul>ities ( vot]     
regi/ration li/s1 improp]ly gu>d$ polls1
 unfair c5sor%ip ( news cov]age1 &      

po/-election viol5ce2 ,:]eas ,gabon is  
s*$ul$ to hold presid5tial elections 9  
,augu/ #bjaf2 ,:]eas a free & fair      
election 9 ,gabon holds regional        
significance z an example = o!r ,african
 c\ntries t h elections s*$ul$ 9 ! ne>  
future2 ,:]eas ! citiz5s ( ,gabon h     
demon/rat$ _! support = ! democratic    
process & h actively p>ticipat$ 9       
political p>ties & elections2 ,:]eas    
t5sions 9 ,gabon are gr[+ f grievances  
ab\t ! legal framework ( elections1     
includ+ respect ( ! con/itution & curr5t
 laws1 indep5d5ce ( in/itutions )9 !    
electoral sy/em1 t]ms limits1 & ! lack (
 repres5tation ( civil society on       
election managem5t bodies2 ,:]eas s9ce !
 #bjji presid5tial election1 "s         
political demon/rations h be5 met )     
t5sion & viol5ce1 :i* h only be5        
exac]bat$ by ! lack ( equal access to   
public & private m$ia by opposition     
p>ties & civil society organizations2   
,:]eas c]ta9 innovative in/itutions 9   
,gabon1 su* z ! ,national ,c\ncil =     

,democracy 7,,cnd7 & ! (fice ( !        
,m$iator ( ! ,republic1 c pot5tially    
play a positive role 9 fo/]+ citiz5     
p>ticipation 9 elections & advance      
democratic pr9ciples2 & ,:]eas !re is   
conc]n = misconduct 9 ! upcom+          
elections1 includ+ ! mi%&l+ ( vot]      
regi/ration1 creat+ b>ri]s to election  
day poll+1 & ! integrity ( ! election   
results3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se ( 
,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 calls on !       
,gabonese ,gov]nm5t to--  7,a7 hold     
ord]ly1 peaceful1 free1 & fair          
presid5tial elections 9 ,augu/ #bjaf 9  
ord] to ensure /ability & long-t]m gr[? 
( ,gabon2  7,b7 gu>antee fair & op5     
p>ticipation ( opposition p>ties2 &     
7,c7 gu>antee ! fre$om ( spee* &        
assembly ( all ,gabonese citiz5s2  7#b7 
enc\rages cont9u$ ef=ts t[>d !          
consolidation ( democracy ?r\gh increas$
 dialogue & concrete actions to address 
con/itutional & legal framework (       
electoral sy/ems & supports ,gabonese   
organizations t "w to fur!r /r5g!n      

democratic processes2  7#c7 calls on !  
citiz5s ( ,gabon to fully & peacefully  
p>ticipate 9 ! presid5tial elections2 & 
7#d7 calls on ! ,unit$ ,/ates & o!r     
int]national p>tn]s1 especially         
electoral focus$ nongov]nm5tal          
organizations1 to help create an        
environm5t :i* facilitates op5          
communication1 gu>antees free & fair    
elections1 enc\rages vot] p>ticipation1 
& fo/]s a robu/ civil society4