Gabon set to join British Commonwealth this year: President

YAOUNDE, Cameroon 

The West African nation of Gabon, a former French colony, will join the British Commonwealth in 2022.

President Ali Bongo Ondimba made the announcement in a televised address that the country would become the 55th member of the Commonwealth in 2022.

"This is a major turning point for our country," he said, adding that joining in a such multicultural group would be "promising" for his country.

The nation of nearly 2.5 million people began the official process of joining the Commonwealth in 2020.

The Commonwealth is a group of 54 countries across five continents, headed by British Queen Elizabeth II and largely made up of former UK colonies.