Boureima Amadou
Gabon’s decision to reopen fisheries negotiations with the European Union will reverberate far beyond diplomatic channels, shaping the livelihoods of coastal communities, the revenues flowing into state coffers and the long-term health of the country’s marine resources. The Council of Ministers, meeting on Friday 18 September 2026 at the presidential palace in Port-Gentil, authorised the launch of talks on a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) and its implementing protocol, tasking the Minister of Fisheries, the Sea and the Blue Economy, Aimé Martial Massamba, with leading the preparations.
The practical consequences of this decision touch several areas at once. For artisanal fishers along Gabon’s coastline, the terms negotiated in Brussels will determine how much room they have to operate alongside industrial fleets. For the national treasury, the financial package attached to any new protocol will influence how much the country earns from resources extracted from its waters. And for consumers, the rules on local landing and processing could affect the availability and price of fish on domestic markets.
Why the government reopened talks with Brussels
The Council of Ministers also approved the formal notification of Gabon’s position to the European Union, the creation of a national negotiating team and a schedule for the various rounds of discussions. The stated objective is a partnership described as renewed, balanced and mutually beneficial, while safeguarding Gabon’s sovereignty over its fishery resources and their sustainable exploitation.
This move follows Gabon’s denunciation on 4 June 2025 of the fishing agreement that tied it to the European Union. The protocol signed in June 2021, which expired on 28 June 2026, had allowed up to 33 European vessels to fish for tuna species in Gabonese waters. In return, the EU paid Gabon around €1.6 million per year, supplemented by contributions from shipowners.
The renewal of the partnership comes as Libreville and Brussels have already begun exchanges on the future of their cooperation in the sector. In June 2026, the European Union said it was willing to negotiate a “new generation” agreement and a fresh implementing protocol, taking into account the concerns raised by Gabon.
Background
The Gabonese government had announced its intention not to renew the agreement in its current form, judging that it was unbalanced to Gabon’s disadvantage, both economically and in terms of local processing and valorisation of fishery resources.
It was against this backdrop that the European Union’s ambassador to Gabon, Cécile Abadie, gave an exclusive interview in which she called for dialogue rather than confrontation, saying: “My wish is that we can sit around the table and discuss each of these points as quickly and as efficiently as possible.“
That statement reflected Brussels’ desire to keep the dialogue open and pave the way for negotiating a new partnership.
What is at stake for coastal communities
For Gabon’s coastal towns and fishing villages, the outcome of these talks could shape daily life for years to come. Access rules for European vessels, landing obligations and local employment quotas are among the issues that directly affect incomes and food supply. A deal that prioritises local processing would keep more value inside the country, creating jobs in ports, canneries and cold-chain logistics.
Minister Aimé Martial Massamba has placed fisheries sovereignty, the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the development of a sustainable blue economy among his department’s priorities.
The negotiations now under way will determine whether Gabon can translate that agenda into tangible gains for its citizens and its economy, or whether the new agreement simply reproduces the imbalances of the past.
