Gabon ends EU fishing partnership over revenue concerns

The Gabonese government has decided to terminate its Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) with the European Union (EU), which officially expired on June 28, 2026, without renewal.

The agreement, first established in 2007 and renewed multiple times—most recently in 2021—generated 17 billion CFA francs for Gabon over five years. However, Libreville deemed the earnings inadequate compared to the volume of fish caught in its territorial waters.

This decision was formalized during the June 2025 Council of Ministers meeting, driven by transitional President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, ending nearly two decades of fisheries cooperation with the EU.

The Gabonese government now aims to prioritize local tuna processing to boost job creation, industrial investment, and domestic value addition.