The Gabonese president will make his first official trip to France from May 28 to June 2. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema will go to Paris with several ministers, notably that of the Economy. A working visit during which he will be received by President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée.
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Bilateral relations, subjects of common interest such as climate and forests, or the smooth running of the Gabonese transition will be on the agenda of the discussions. For Libreville, this working visit should notably serve to differentiate itself from Sahel countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, shaken by coups d’état and the rejection of French interests. “ It’s clear that our transition has little to do with it. We want to show that our situation is different. Our relationship with France must be normal, just like our other partners. », Indicates a good source.
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Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema will be received at the Élysée by his counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Friday May 31. However, some see in this move a desire by the Gabonese head of state to seek legitimacy from the France. “ This is not wrong, but it is not the main objective. He has nevertheless already been received at the UN and by numerous heads of state », confides a good connoisseur of the issue, for whom, given the distrust towards Paris in certain capitals of the continent, France has just as much interest in this meeting as the Gabon.
Under the former president Ali Bongo, the Franco-Gabonese relationship had experienced periods of cold. Libreville also seemed to move away by joining the Commonwealth organization two years ago. But last August’s putsch did not worsen the cooling of relations. On the contrary, the two countries have visibly maintained close ties.
On August 31, the day after the putsch, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema received the French ambassador Alexis Lamek and the head of the DGSE post, as a sign of good understanding. The transition restored the France 24 and RFI signals interrupted by the former power on the day of the vote, August 26. At the same time, the French company Eramet had resumed its manganese extraction activities in the Moanda mine.
“ Paris has no reason to worry »
The Gabonese president met his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for the first time on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai on December 1. “ After the coup d’état, France and the OIF supported us without excluding us. Of course, with France, there is a history with ups and downs. And if there are adjustments to be made, we will make them, but we are not following a pan-Africanist pseudo-revolutionary logic. Paris has no reason to worry », Analyzes a source at the Palais du bord de mer.
Today, Gabon remains at least partially suspended from the Commonwealth and the African Union. Being received in Paris could help Libreville to fully return to the concert of nations. “ With the Commonwealth, we are trying to put things back in place. Delegations of entrepreneurs from the organization were in Libreville a few weeks ago. On the AU side, we hope that it will respect the principle of subsidiarity and follow the example of the ECCAS which lifted its sanctions a few weeks ago », Indicates a source in Libreville.
The French military base, installed at Camp de Gaulle since 1960, should be mentioned during the visit. A sensitive point for Paris, which has seen in turn the departure of its soldiers from Mali, Burkina and Niger. No closure is planned, reassures a good source in Gabon. But this is not an issue for us. Paris is modifying its military posture in Africa. When there is a final decision, we will renegotiate our agreements in the interest of both parties », adds this source.
“ The personal envoy » from the French president for Africa, Jean-Marie Bockel, was in Gabon in March. He would have presented the current projects for the future of the approximately 380 French soldiers and personnel from the Ministry of the Armed Forces present on site to date. A reduction in staff numbers is notably expected.
Reassure investors
On May 29 and 30, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema will also attend the Gabon-France economic forum, organized for the occasion. A meeting in the presence of bosses from the two countries, with several round tables in particular, the opportunity to learn about the economic situation in Gabon, to examine business opportunities, and to discuss with decision-makers and investors.
A meeting which here too should help to reassure, while the Gabonese National Dialogue (DNI), which brought together all layers of society until April 30, had notably recommended a national preference in the economy in order to help local operators fight against foreign competition. “ We want to remind you that our country is open to French and other entrepreneurs. There is no desire to chase them away. Those who have the capacity to invest are welcome wherever they come from », Indicates an interlocutor close to the authorities.
As for the DNI’s recommendations, “ they should not be taken at face value. It is up to the government to translate them into laws and regulations. But Gabon has international commitments. Recommendations that are contrary to this are unlikely to be implemented. Their implementation will only be done if it is legally and politically feasible. Gabon is not an isolate », confides a good source.
During his stay in Paris, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema should take the opportunity to meet the Gabonese diaspora on Saturday June 1. The next day, he is scheduled to leave Paris for the Somme where he is expected to attend the commemorations of the Battle of Airaines which took place in June 1940.
These battles, in the midst of the German army’s offensive, were particularly violent during the long Battle of the Somme. The Senegalese Tirailleurs occupied an essential place there, notably the 53rd RICMS (Senegalese Mixed Colonial Infantry Regiment), made up of soldiers from what were still French colonies. At their head: Gabonese captain Charles N’Tchoréré, born in Libreville and the only officer remaining at the forefront of the fighting, ultimately executed by the Nazis. This June 2 will also mark the return of President Oligui Nguema to Gabon.