🇬🇦GabonCentral Africa
Gabon strengthens forest investigators' skills to combat illegal logging
via Gabon Review3 min read
In Libreville, thirty forest and judicial agents enhanced their investigation and criminal procedure skills from April 14 to 16, 2026, as part of the CAFI 2 project, to better combat environmental crime. The training, organized by the Ministry of Water and Forests with technical support from The Nature Conservancy TNC and funding from the Central African Forest Initiative CAFI, focused on strengthening competencies in investigation, judicial procedures, and evidence management. The objective was to improve the effectiveness of field missions and ensure the legal soundness of cases submitted to the courts. Christiana Assambou, Deputy Public Prosecutor at the special prosecutor's office, emphasized the importance of formal rules in forest offense investigations, noting that non-compliance can invalidate procedures. She also highlighted the need for reinforced national and international cooperation due to the often cross-border nature of these offenses. Commandant Mapaha Eurol Luce, Head of the Regulation and Litigation Department at the Directorate General of Forests, acknowledged existing shortcomings among many judicial police officers in drafting reports and conducting field investigations. The training aims to address these deficiencies, preventing procedural invalidation in court. Key topics included methods for observing and suppressing offenses, legal qualification of facts, and mandatory mentions in official reports. This initiative marks a significant step in professio
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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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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
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