馃嚞馃嚘GabonCentral Africa
Gabon seeks to allow its citizens convicted in Cuba to serve their sentences at home
via Gabon Review2 min read
Gabon's Council of Ministers adopted a bill on June 25 to ratify an agreement with Cuba concerning the execution of penal sentences. Signed on September 27, 2025, in Havana, this agreement aims to allow convicted individuals to be transferred to their home country to serve their sentences. This initiative is intended to strengthen judicial cooperation between Gabon and Cuba and facilitate the social reintegration of detainees. The agreement will enable Gabonese citizens convicted in Cuba to serve their sentences in Gabon, and similarly, Cuban nationals convicted in Gabon could be transferred to Cuba. The Gabonese government highlights the human and social benefits, noting that it will allow Gabonese citizens to serve their sentences in a national environment, free from linguistic or cultural barriers, and close to their families. This measure is expected to facilitate social reintegration and help prevent recidivism. The executive views this agreement as an additional mechanism to protect Gabonese nationals convicted abroad, ensuring their dignity and fundamental rights are respected under appropriate conditions for sentence execution. The bill will now proceed to Parliament for examination and ratification.
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Owendo Container Terminal OCT has acquired three new Rubber Tyred Gantry RTG cranes, arriving from Vietnam on May 28, 2026. These latest-generation Konecranes gantry cranes will modernize the Owendo terminal by improving container handling and storage. The addition of these cranes increases OCT's total number of RTG cranes from nine to twelve, aiming to boost capacity, optimize space utilization, and reduce processing times and waiting periods. Sandrine Wamy, OCT's general director, stated that this investment marks a significant step in the terminal's modernization, enhancing its ability to process volumes and improve service quality for clients. This strategic investment reinforces OCT's role in Gabon's logistics chain and its contribution to the country's port infrastructure development. OCT, the operator of the container terminal at the Port of Owendo, employs over 300 Gabonese citizens and supports nearly a thousand indirect jobs through subcontracting. The company also engages in community initiatives in education and environment.
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