Gabon seeks fairer EU raw materials partnership
Gabon's National Assembly president called for local processing, technology transfer, and job creation in producer countries.
Gabon's National Assembly president, Michel Régis Onanga Ndiaye, called for a more equitable economic partnership with the European Union during the second EU-ACP Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels. He advocated for increased local transformation of raw materials, technology transfers, and job creation in producer nations, emphasizing industrial sovereignty in cooperation.
Ambassador Régis Immongault stated that access to strategic raw materials should not be the sole objective of the EU-ACP partnership. The Gabonese delegation, also including Senate First Vice-President Serge Maurice Mabiala, pushed for a better distribution of economic benefits from natural resource exploitation. Gabon wants productive investments, technology, local industries, and skilled jobs, not just raw material supply.
This demand aligns with Gabon's economic diversification goals, aiming to move beyond exporting unprocessed raw materials, as shown by the planned ban on raw manganese exports from January 1, 2029. Gabon also seeks participation in the future Africa-EU Parliamentary Working Group on critical raw materials to defend producers' interests in resource governance.
Why it mattersGabon's National Assembly president demanded that producer countries be fully involved in the value addition of their resources, seeking investment and job creation.