Location: Libreville, Gabon
Event: Taxi drivers are currently on strike to protest mistreatment by police. Their refusal to work has resulted in an increase in transportation costs and disruptions to the transit system. Student groups have blocked public roads and protested in Awendje and PK12. Police are using tear gas to disperse protestors.
Actions to Take:
- Avoid the areas of the demonstrations.
- Exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests.
- Monitor local media for updates.
- Keep a low profile.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website (http://travel.state.gov/) for the Worldwide Caution (http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/worldwide-caution.html) , Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Gabon Country Specific Information (https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/gabon.html) .
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (https://step.state.gov/step/) (STEP (https://step.state.gov/step/) ) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Gabon, located in Libreville, Quartier Sabliere at 241-01-45-71-00 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday. The embassy is closed on Gabonese and U.S. federal holidays. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is 241-01-07-38-01-71.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).