Gabon’s presidential office has confirmed that the follow-up to agreements finalized in Libreville during President Emmanuel Macron’s last visit in November 2025 will dominate discussions when President Brice Oligui Nguema meets his French counterpart in Paris on Monday, July 20, 2026.

For months, Libreville has been pushing for local processing of manganese, mined by Comilog, a subsidiary of the French group Eramet. The Gabonese authorities have set a firm deadline: by January 2029, all extracted ore must undergo initial local processing before export.

While Paris supports the principle, negotiations are underway to ease the timeline, deemed too ambitious given the required investments—particularly in industrial and energy infrastructure. “This is precisely why the President of the Republic is making this trip,” emphasized a spokesperson for President Oligui Nguema late last week.

Upcoming military base discussions in Gabon

Another critical topic on the agenda involves the water supply agreement signed with Suez for Libreville. A year after its signing, significant delays persist. France is urging full compliance with the commitments made, valued at 120 billion CFA francs.

On the military front, Gabon is seeking a greater reduction in French military presence. Key demands include the transfer of formal ownership of Camp de Gaulle—formerly a French military base—and its renaming. Moving forward, military cooperation is expected to focus solely on training. Gabon is also diversifying its external partnerships, engaging with China, Turkey, and India, though France remains its primary diplomatic ally.

Gabon’s debt crisis takes center stage

Debt, though not officially on the table, looms large over the talks, as highlighted by our reporting. Gabon’s debt exceeds 70% of its GDP.

Libreville has launched a comprehensive audit, with findings expected later this month. Concurrently, Gabon is seeking to finalize a program with the IMF. However, as of late June, sources within the institution noted that several required documents had yet to be submitted.

France, which also chairs the Paris Club—a creditor group assisting debt-laden nations—is advocating for a negotiated financial solution. The Gabonese debt crisis is causing regional concern, straining foreign exchange reserves and raising fears of instability in the CFA franc.