Gabon: Macron on a State Visit to Strengthen Bilateral Partnership

Gabon: Macron on a State Visit to Strengthen Bilateral Partnership

The French President is making his first visit to Gabon since Brice Oligui Nguema came to power. The visit is part of a wider African tour.

On Sunday, November 23, 2025, Emmanuel Macron began a state visit to Gabon aimed at “strengthening and renewing” the bilateral partnership.

Discussions with his counterpart, Brice Oligui Nguema, will focus on consolidating diplomatic relations, economic and energy issues, security, and environmental priorities, according to a statement from the Gabonese Republic.

Gabon seeks to diversify its economy, which remains largely dependent on oil, the production of which is expected to decline by 3% by 2026, according to Gabonese authorities. The country aims for non-oil growth of 9.2% to bring overall growth to 7.9%, compared to 3.4% in 2024. This ambition relies on the construction and public works sector, already showing strong growth (+48% in 2024) thanks to major infrastructure projects, as well as industrialization and local processing of energy and mineral resources, along with agriculture and fisheries, expected to grow by +5.9% in 2026.

In this context, France already plays a tangible role in supporting Gabonese development. It is the country’s main supplier (25% of the market) and finances major infrastructure projects through the French Development Agency (AFD), including the upgrade of the Transgabonais railway with a budget of €203 million ($234 million), as well as significant investments in roads and urban development.

In the education sector, the PISE project has enabled the construction of hundreds of classrooms, providing access to schooling for over 22,000 children. France also contributes to sustainable forest management initiatives, such as the “Institutional Strengthening and Modernization of the Forestry Sector” project (RIMOSD).

This visit follows President Oligui Nguema’s trip to Paris in May 2025 and reflects, according to the Gabonese presidency, a “deeply renewed political dynamic” based on an equal dialogue.

Unlike the breakdown observed in several Sahel countries between 2021 and 2023 following coups d’état, Gabonese authorities have chosen to maintain their cooperation with France. Economically, France remains Gabon’s main supplier, representing 25% of the market, according to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The visit is part of Emmanuel Macron’s African tour, which began on Thursday, November 20, in Mauritius. Its goal is to participate in several summits and strengthen bilateral ties with these strategic countries.