Our Scans · Gabon · Weekly Summary

• South Africa and Gabon lead global manganese production, with diversified supply chains reducing geopolitical risks compared to cobalt (predominantly sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo) or lithium (concentrated in Australia and South America). Discovery Alert
• DFC provided $500 million in political risk insurance to support marine conversation in Gabon through the Gabon Blue Bonds project, the first DFC-supported debt conversion for impact project in Africa. The White House
• Elections: Unlike 2024, 2025 is expected to be more stable, with fewer major elections, mostly in Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, and Tanzania, along with the promised end of transition in Gabon and Guinea. African Newspage | Reporting Africa's Development
• Elections: Unlike2024, 2025 is expected to be more stable, with fewer major elections, mostly in Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, and Tanzania, along with the promised end of transition in Gabon and Guinea. assodesire
• The risk is under 10% in West Africa along the Guinea Golf and lower than 1% in most of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, and Gabon in the Central Africa region. Nature
• Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon, and the Central African Republic will hold legislative or presidential elections in 2025, while Congo and Sao Tome and Principe will have presidential elections in 2026. Africanews
• Africa Corps is already active or exerting influence in at least 12 African nations, while Chad, Gabon, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, and the Republic of Congo are believed to be at risk of being targeted in the coming years. The i Paper
• Funding from the Blue Bonds project will help safeguard the sustainability of Gabon's marine economy, including support for strengthening enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated industrial fishing. The Nature Conservancy
• As France has always endorsed Ali Bongo and shared a cordial relationship, France might actually consider a military intervention in order to restore the democratically-elected government of Gabon. Observer Research Foundation
• No sanctions are being proposed against Gabon, and the outcome of future elections will help assess if France will still have the Bongo family in control through the coup leader, Nguema. Areas & Producers
• The launch of Gabon's Blue Bond is an important moment, giving us hope that green or blue financial mechanisms will grow significantly in coming years and help countries like Gabon. WSJ
• The Gabon DFNS will also help finance a marine spatial plan to increase the area of ocean under protection, improve management in currently protected areas and all new protected areas, and support Gabon's sustainable blue economy. JD Supra
• In Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon all rely on oil and gas for over 60% of their total budgets; and all but Gabon face a 70% reduction in expected oil and gas revenues. Energy Monitor
• Six African states are highly vulnerable with more than 60% of their total budget at risk: Nigeria, home to 215 million people, Angola, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Carbon Tracker
• Oil prices are headed for a weekly climb, with US government data showing tighter-than-expected crude supplies, while a military coup in Gabon, an OPEC member, also raised fears of crude oil supply disruptions. Cyprus Mail
• Projects funded as a result of the Gabon Blue Bond will support marine protection and management, advance sustainable fisheries, strengthen climate resilience, and develop a sustainable blue economy for the local community. Swiss Re Group
• The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation announced $500 million in political risk insurance supporting a bond for marine conservation in Gabon (Gabon Blue Bond). Swiss Re Group
• The conservation funding unlocked by the Blue Bond will fund an MSP process that builds upon its existing 'Gabon Bleu' initiative and expands its network of legally designated Marine Protected Areas from 26% of its ocean to 30%. The Nature Conservancy
• In 2023, presidential elections will hold in Gabon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan and Zimbabwe. PARADIGM INITIATIVE
• Gabon: A Key Conservation Opportunity Gabon was one of the first nations in the world to pledge to protect 30% of its ocean and land by 2030, and the only country to add a further commitment also to protect 30% of its freshwater. The Nature Conservancy
• Weak economic performance is expected among CEMAC countries (Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo) in 2023. World Bank

Last updated: 14 June 2025