🇬🇦GabonCentral Africa
Gabon seeks to boost ecotourism through diplomatic talks with Spain and South Africa
via Gabon Review4 min read
On May 7, 2026, Gabon's Minister of Sustainable Tourism and Handicrafts, Professor Marcelle Ibinga épse Itsitsa, held diplomatic meetings with the ambassadors of Spain and South Africa to Gabon. The discussions focused on strengthening tourism cooperation, promoting ecotourism, attracting foreign investment, and improving air connectivity. These efforts are part of Gabon's strategy to establish itself as a leading sustainable tourism destination. During her meeting with Rafael Chaves Beardo, the Spanish Ambassador, Minister Itsitsa highlighted Gabon's natural and cultural assets, seeking to encourage Spanish entrepreneurs and investors in the tourism sector. Discussions also covered diversifying tourism offerings and mechanisms to facilitate foreign investment in sustainable tourism infrastructure and services. With Ncumisa Notutela-Mthabela, the South African Ambassador, talks broadened to include ecotourism, biodiversity, and national parks. Ambassador Notutela-Mthabela noted the natural resource similarities between the two countries, stating that both Gabon and South Africa possess significant national parks, biodiversity, and natural resources. Both parties expressed their intention to deepen tourism cooperation to attract more international investors and visitors, also addressing air connectivity as a crucial factor for developing tourism and economic flows. These diplomatic engagements underscore the Gabonese government's ambition to position Gabon as a key ecotourism
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Gabon's government is undergoing evaluations of its first 100 days, led by Vice-President Hermann Immongault. President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has issued a warning to his team, emphasizing performance and accountability. Ministers, including those from Foreign Affairs, Health, Digital Economy, Housing, and Planning and Foresight, have presented their progress. Immongault stressed that public policies must have a concrete social impact. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported diplomatic advancements, including Gabon's return to the African Union and strengthened cooperation within regional bodies like ECCAS, CEMAC, and the Commonwealth, as well as the repatriation of citizens. The Health Minister highlighted a medical ethics forum and an audit of the Libreville University Hospital Center. The Digital Economy sector focused on departmental reorganization and preparing legislation for startups. The Minister of Housing, Mays Mouissi, announced the construction of 1,394 housing units, with 500 already underway, and the development of 4,300 plots by the National Real Estate Company at below-market prices. The Minister of Planning and Foresight, Louise Pierrette Mvono, stated that the National Growth and Development Plan is finalized and a census has covered nearly 90% of targeted homes. Government spokesperson Charles-Édouard Mombo conveyed President Nguema's warning that ministers failing to produce tangible results could be removed in an upcoming government reshuffle.
The European Union officially launched the "Impact" project in Libreville on Thursday, May 7, 2026. This initiative aims to strengthen the capacities of Gabonese civil society organizations. Through this program, local NGOs will receive technical and financial support to play a more active role in local development, social justice, and environmental protection. The project, funded by the European Union, seeks to foster a more inclusive, structured, and active Gabonese civil society capable of participating in the development and monitoring of public policies, particularly in social justice and environmental protection. Cécile Abadie, the European Union Ambassador to Gabon, stated that this project is different from typical programs, focusing on transversal capacity building for civil society, which is often better positioned than the state to address certain needs and conduct local actions. She noted that many civil society organizations face difficulties in structuring, accessing funding, and advocacy. The Impact project intends to professionalize and empower these structures, financing more organizations and helping them identify their needs. The project will be jointly managed by two European and two Gabonese NGOs. This collaboration will combine expertise in capacity building with a deep understanding of the local civil society ecosystem. The selected organizations will mentor beneficiary associations and facilitate their access to often hard-to-mobilize funding. This sup
Dieudonné Ndoumbou Likouni, former president of the Fegafoot Normalization Committee, has rejected the joint decision by FIFA and CAF to maintain the current executive committee of the Gabonese Football Federation until December 31, 2026. He describes the extension of Pierre Alain Mounguengui's mandate as "illegitimate" and calls for national mobilization to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS in Lausanne. FIFA and CAF, following a mission to Libreville from April 18 to 20, confirmed the executive committee's continuation, citing the need to regularize the federation's administrative status and that of its statutory members. They stated this transition should occur within six months, ending by October 2026, and that the committee remains in office "in accordance with Article 38, paragraph 4 of the Fegafoot Statutes." Ndoumbou Likouni, who oversaw the reform of the federation's statutes and the elections that brought Mounguengui to power in March 2014, called the decision "parodic." He accused FIFA and CAF of "validating illegitimacy" by extending the current committee's mandate, arguing that Mounguengui should not remain in power after twelve years. Ndoumbou Likouni plans to take the matter to CAS, stating that internal appeals have been "systematically rejected." He seeks the "outright annulment of this arbitrary mandate extension" and is calling for financial support from Gabonese football stakeholders and the public for the legal proceedings, including a crowd
Vaalco Energy, the American oil group, announced a net loss of 93.8 million dollars in the first quarter of 2026. Despite this financial setback, the company highlighted its performance in Gabon, where two new wells have begun production in the offshore Etame field. CEO George Maxwell stated that these results strengthen the group's production growth outlook for the remainder of the year. Vaalco Energy confirmed the successful start-up of two new offshore development wells in Gabon as part of the third phase of its drilling program on the Etame permit. The Etame 15H well, which began production in February 2026, has an initial flow rate of 2,000 gross barrels per day, while the Etame 14H well, which started in April, produces approximately 4,850 gross barrels daily. The company noted that the Etame 14H well encountered 325 meters of net pay in high-quality Gamba sands. Following this, the drilling campaign continued with the launch of the EEBOM-5H well on the Ebouri platform, also offshore Gabon. Additional drilling and maintenance operations are planned to increase the field's production and reserves. George Maxwell described the Gabonese drilling campaign as a "positive start," with the performance of the ET-15H and ET-14H wells contributing to a slight increase in production in the first quarter of 2026, with a more significant impact expected in the second quarter. He anticipates two optimized cargoes from Gabon in the second quarter, in a more favorable price environment