馃嚞馃嚘GabonCentral Africa
Gabon gains two places in FIFA rankings, aims for resurgence
via Gabon Review3 min read
Gabon's national football team, the Panthers, has advanced two spots to 84th in the latest FIFA world rankings, published on July 20, 2026. This places them 16th in Africa, with 1,272.51 points. This modest progression follows their 86th position in the previous ranking on June 11. The team's improvement comes despite no official matches since the FIFA Series in March and their non-participation in the 2026 World Cup. This upward movement is seen as a positive sign for the Gabonese selection, which is currently undergoing a rebuilding phase. The appointment of a new coach, S茅bastien Mign茅, and the return of Alain Giresse to the technical staff are fueling hopes for increased competitiveness. If this new dynamic leads to positive results in upcoming continental and global qualifiers, Gabon could continue to rise in the FIFA rankings. Globally, Spain, the 2026 World Cup champion, holds the top spot, followed by Argentina and France, with England and Brazil completing the top five. In Africa, Morocco is ranked 6th globally, ahead of Senegal 18th and Egypt 24th. Gabon aims to close the gap with the leading African teams through the momentum generated by its new technical staff.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Gabon Review.
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation announced its plan to establish a presence in Gabon by December 2026. This announcement was made by Charles Oula Siehe, Special Advisor for Africa to the Foundation, following a meeting with Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema in Paris on July 22. President Nguema, who was on a state visit, gave his agreement in principle for the initiative. The Foundation's installation aims to support Gabon's environmental preservation and sustainable development policies, aligning with the country's environmental ambitions. It is also expected to strengthen cooperation between Libreville and the Principality of Monaco and support projects that improve the living conditions of the population. Established in 2006 by Prince Albert II of Monaco, the non-profit organization focuses on biodiversity, climate change, ocean protection, and sustainable water resource management, primarily in the Mediterranean basin, polar regions, and least developed countries. This move is part of its strategy to assist states with significant natural capital facing conservation and sustainable development challenges.
The Gabonese Agricultural Development Company SOGADA received over 55,000 day-old chicks in Libreville on Monday, July 20, all intended for egg laying. This significant arrival reinforces SOGADA's ambition to build a strong and competitive national poultry sector and sustainably increase its egg production. Herv茅 Patrick Opiangah, SOGADA's shareholder, has championed this goal for several years, aiming to contribute to Gabon's food security. SOGADA, operating with entirely private and Gabonese capital, has focused on local production even before food sovereignty became an official priority. The company's integrated model, built by Herv茅 Patrick Opiangah, relies on four pillars: biosecurity, innovation, industrial transformation, and the development of national skills, positioning it as a pioneer in modern poultry farming in Gabon. This influx of chicks represents a coherent industrial vision to increase domestic production and progressively reduce reliance on imports. SOGADA has created local jobs and offers products that meet high health standards. The company's short-cycle model ensures products are raised, harvested, fed, collected, and consumed locally, directly benefiting Gabonese consumers. Over the years, SOGADA has invested in modernizing its breeding infrastructure, developing egg carton manufacturing, and strengthening its biosecurity protocols, demonstrating a consistent effort to anticipate Gabon's needs.
On July 22, the Chinese Embassy in Gabon welcomed over 150 visitors for an Open Day as part of the 2026 Chinese Cultural Season. This initiative aimed to introduce Chinese civilization, history, and culture, and to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the Gabonese and Chinese people. Ambassador of China to Gabon, Zhou Ping, stated that the event sought to make the embassy a "house of Sino-Gabonese friendship," highlighting China's millennia-old civilization, the Chinese people's journey under the Communist Party of China, and contemporary Chinese diplomacy initiatives. The ambassador emphasized the strong relationship between Libreville and Beijing, built over half a century on trust, mutual respect, and sincerity. He noted that pragmatic cooperation between the two countries has continued to yield new results, and both peoples share values such as peace, family, respect for nature, hospitality, and the transmission of traditions. The program included guided tours of the embassy, exhibitions on China's history and development, interactive cultural activities, and a tasting of Chinese culinary specialties. A key highlight was the presentation of the "Peace Ark hospital ship," which has provided nearly 13,000 consultations to Gabonese populations during its visits in 2017 and 2024. The day aimed to foster cultural exchange and encourage Gabonese citizens to become ambassadors of this friendship and builders of cooperation between the two nations.