Emmanuel Macron touched down in Gabon today, becoming the first French leader to visit since General Brice Oligui Nguema seized power last year and ended the 56-year Bongo dynasty.
The trip, coming straight from the G20 in Johannesburg, signals a deliberate reset in one of France’s oldest African partnerships.
A Warm Welcome and Public Thanks
At the presidential palace, General Nguema greeted Macron with full military honors and didn’t hold back his gratitude.
“I want to sincerely thank France for standing by Gabon during our delicate transition,” Nguema said in his welcome speech. He praised Paris for quiet diplomatic backing that helped organize recent elections and restore constitutional order without chaos.
Macron’s Big Message: “No More Raw Materials Only”
Macron used the platform to push his vision of a new Africa-France relationship.
“Gabon and the continent cannot just be quarries and oil wells for the rest of the world,” the French president declared. “We have to build factories here, add value here, create jobs here — that’s the only future that works for everyone.”
He called it a “win-win” model based on respect, competition, and Gabonese ownership — a clear break from the old extract-and-export days.
Looking Forward, Not Back
With the coup-to-elections transition now widely seen as successful, both leaders laid out three priorities for the coming years:
- Direct investment in industry and infrastructure
- Stronger environmental cooperation (Gabon is 88% rainforest)
- Massive focus on youth training and opportunities
France, which kept ties open even in the tense weeks after the 2023 coup, now wants to be seen as a partner of Gabon’s next generation not just its past.
A new chapter, same two flags, but a very different script.
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