BUSINESS
GABON: A fisheries agreement with the EU
The Ganonaise authorities intend to make good use of its fishing resources to boost its economy in this context of health crisis. After eight months of intense negotiations, the Gabonese Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Biendi Maganga Moussavou, and the EU Ambassador to Gabon, Rosario Bento Pais, signed a 6-year memorandum of understanding worth CFAF 17 billion on Wednesday, 10 February 2021 in Libreville. An agreement that will protect the marine environment, promote fishing and processing in this country with 885 km of coastline.
The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) between Gabon and the EU marks the beginning of a long process to preserve the country’s fisheries resources.Thus, the local processing industries will experience a considerable boom with the development of the processing of products such as tuna. Fisheries can also become a key sector of the Gabonese economy weakened by the current pandemic.
The Gabonese minister, Biendi Maganga Moussavou, at the end of this agreement with the European Union, affirmed that “the logic of the Gabon Bleu pillar is to make sure that is exploited the fishing potential of our country. That is to preserve our marine ecosystem, to ensure that we are part of a sustainable fishery and to ensure that the benefits of fishing are more sensitive and more visible here in Gabon, for Gabonese industry, for Gabonese jobs, for wealth creation in Gabon.”
The special feature of this agreement in relation to the previous agreements signed by the Gabonese Government in the field of fisheries is the strengthening of scientific capacities, the professionalization of actors, observation and management of the marine environment and marine protected areas, sustainable management of stocks, monitoring of fisheries, and combating illegal fishing.
In addition, in this six-year agreement, Spanish and French vessels can legally come and fish in Gabonese waters but, to preserve Gabon’s interests, the ships must land at the port of Libreville and invest in order to create jobs or to give a new life to the industrial processing chain. The European fleet with access to Gabonese waters will consist of 27 tuna seiners, 6 pole-and-line tuna vessels and 4 trawlers targeting demersal fish and crustacean species, as part of an exploratory fishery. The partnership’s financial revenues could exceed €30 million, or FCFA 20 billion over six years.
Gabon therefore has a crucial opportunity to promote the industrialization of the fisheries sector and the processing capacities of fish products, which is in line with the objectives of the Gabon Emergent 2025 Strategic Plan (PSGE 2025) and EU partnership policy.
The presidency of Togo has announced that the project to exploit the manganese mine of Nayega, located in the Savanes region in the north of the country, is entering its operational phase. According to a statement issued on June 10, 2025, production is scheduled to start at the end of June 2025, with an initial volume of 4,000 tons per month, which should gradually double to reach 8,000 tons per month.
Keras Resources is the technical partner retained by the Togolese government to carry out this project. A statement from Keras, relayed by the presidency, details that the company signed a cooperation agreement in 2023 with the Togolese state, owner of the mine through the Togolese Manganese Company (STM). Under the terms of this agreement, Keras will receive a remuneration of 1.5% of the mine’s gross revenue for three years for its advisory services, as well as 6% for brokering services.
The reserves of the Nayega mine are estimated at 8.5 million tonnes, which would allow exploitation over a period of 11 years. The authorities of Lomé welcome the expected contribution of the mine to the national budget, a benefit that should be strengthened by the rigorous management of the generated revenues, as indicated by our colleagues from Agence Afrique.
With a growing global demand for manganese, particularly in steel alloys and renewable energy technologies, Togo is seeking to assert itself as an essential supplier of this strategic ore. This positioning could play a catalytic role for the national economy, always according to information from the Africa Agency.
Source: senego / Photo credit: Republicoftogo.com
The Gabonese government decided on Friday to ban the import of broilers in order to promote national poultry production and ensure food security, according to the final communiqué of the council of ministers chaired by the head of state, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.
The ban will be effective from 1 January 2027, thus leaving a period of 18 months (1 year and 6 months) for actors in the sector to structure themselves, invest and prepare to meet national demand.
“This measure aims to restore domestic poultry production, boost agricultural investment, reduce food dependency and strengthen the trade balance,” the government hopes. Gabon also hopes to foster “the emergence of a network of rural jobs, the rise in quality of products consumed locally and the creation of an economic ecosystem around this sector”.
The government has also planned a detailed operational plan to be presented within 45 days by the ministers responsible for economy and trade.
Libreville dreams of reducing its dependence on poultry imports and strengthening the country’s food security. In addition, the promotion of local poultry farming should have a positive impact on rural areas, generating jobs and contributing to the development of a vibrant poultry ecosystem.
Imported frozen chicken is the most consumed food in Gabon because of its low price and packaging ready to be thrown into a pot.
“The star of the freezer” is how Gabonese people refer to frozen chicken because it is often the only food, if not the default food, found in the freezers of Gabonese families.
Frozen chicken and meat are generally imported from Latin America and Europe. Their massive presence on the market has destroyed local production.
The Council of Ministers also announced a ban on exporting crude manganese from 1 January 2029. The objective is to promote local industrial development, create jobs and maximize the value of this resource, of which Gabon is the world’s second largest producer.
Sources: gabonactu.com
Mauritania is in the spotlight. On Thursday, May 29, 2025, Sidi Ould Tah was elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the annual meeting of the institution held in Abidjan. He succeeds Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, in office since 2015.
His election came after a hard-fought duel against Samuel Munzele Maimbo of Zambia, who finished in second place. The election, which was marked by major geopolitical and economic issues, took place against a background of high expectations regarding governance and development financing on the continent.
The Senegalese Amadou Hott, long perceived as one of the favorites, finishes in third place, followed by the South African Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala. Despite significant diplomatic support, notably for Hott, the momentum in favour of Sidi Ould Tah has prevailed in the last few rounds.
Former minister and general manager of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Sidi Ould Tah is recognized for his experience and strategic vision. He will officially take office on 1 September 2025.
Photo credit: Forbes Africa
