Gabon and european union deepen partnership dialogue in Libreville

Gabon and the European Union held a partnership dialogue session in Libreville, co-chaired by Hermann Immongault, vice-president of the Gabonese government, and Cécile Abadie, EU ambassador to Gabon. Discussions covered political reforms, economic prospects, environmental topics, and regional and multilateral challenges. The meeting was marked by the EU’s call to build a partnership based more on consultation, investments, and multilateralism.

Co-chaired by Hermann Immongault, vice-president of the Gabonese government, and Cécile Abadie, EU ambassador to Gabon, the gathering brought together several government members and ambassadors of EU member states accredited to Gabon. Talks focused on the country’s economic situation, the business climate, the Global Gateway strategy, forest cooperation, sustainable fishing, maritime security, as well as regional and international issues.

During her speech, the EU ambassador stressed the need to adapt Africa-Europe relations to an increasingly competitive global context. “Today’s world is marked by more transactional relationships and sometimes aggressive competition. We must adjust our cooperation tools to this context,” she stated. Cécile Abadie also advocated for a partnership based on “mutual interests,” while reaffirming the EU’s commitment to values of peace, security, good governance, and respect for human rights.

Referring to the new political phase opened in Gabon after the transition, the European diplomat called for long-term cooperation. “This dialogue is an opportunity to ensure mutual understanding, outline a roadmap with common objectives, and energize our way of working,” she emphasized. She also urged more consultation, data exchange, and shared analysis to build a joint vision of upcoming priorities.

This dialogue takes place against a backdrop of strengthened ties between Gabon and the European Union since the Gabonese president’s visit to Brussels in November 2024 and his participation in the EU-African Union summit in 2025.

The discussions also addressed several international crises, including the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and security challenges on the African continent. At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continuing exchanges on jointly identified priorities and establishing operational follow-up for cooperation projects.