Sarkozy in Gabon for Bongo funeral

While serious questions about the relationship between France and Gabon continue to surface in the wake of President Omar Bongo's death last week, Nicolas Sarkozy flew into Libreville today to attend his state funeral. He was greeted by boos from the crowd outside the presidential palace, angry at the French investigation into corruption charges against Bongo.

Sarkozy was one of around 40 heads of state to pay their respects to the man who ruled - and exploited - the oil-rich west African nation for more than 40 years.

Among other leaders attending were the presidents of Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Sao Tome and Togo.

Denis Sassou-Nguesso, the president of Congo-Brazzaville, was already in town: as Bongo's father-in-law he flew there immediately after the news of Bongo's death was released last week.

Also present today was the former French president Jacques Chirac who last week dismissed as "totally unfounded" a claim by another ex-president, Valerie Giscard d'Estaing, that Bongo used his riches to help finance Chirac's bid for the French presidency in 1981. Chirac was also booed by the crowd in Libreville, but it was reported later that both he and Sarkozy were applauded inside the palace when they laid wreaths at the foot of Bongo's coffin.

Although little of Gabon's wealth has ever reached its 1.5 million citizens, remaining mainly in the hands of the Bongo family, Reuters reported ordinary people being moved by their leader's death, if only because he'd been around for so long.

"It is very emotional. It is a farewell ceremony so I am sad," said Daniel Mba, a resident of Libreville, where a military parade took place today before Bongo's body was flown south to Franceville, his home town, for burial on Thursday.

Asked about the future of Gabon, Mba replied: "It is very complex." He's right there, with divisions already emerging over who should succeed Omar Bongo.

Ali Ben Bongo, his elder son and the county's defence minister, is seen as the obvious successor, but there are other contenders, among them Ali Ben's brother-in-law, foreign minister Paul Toungui, African Union chairman Jean Ping and vice-president Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge.

Observers of the 'Francafrique' scene believe that France, Gabon's former colonial ruler, would favour "continuity" to protect its interests. These include major investments by French internationals such as Total and Bollore.

If that is the case, then Ali Ben Bongo, with his massive family holdings in Paris and the Cote d'Azur, as outlined by The First Post this week, remains favourite.