LIBREVILLE, Gabon,5th September, 2026 (WAM) — Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, President of the Gabonese Republic, received Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, and the accompanying UAE delegation during an official visit to Libreville to discuss strengthening trade and investment relations and translating the growing momentum in the bilateral economic partnership into practical opportunities for the business communities of both countries.
Al Zeyoudi conveyed to the President the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, along with their wishes for continued progress and prosperity for the government and people of Gabon.
President Nguema conveyed his greetings to the UAE leadership and his wishes for continued progress and prosperity for the leadership and people of the UAE, expressing his country’s keenness to develop and strengthen relations between the two countries across fields of common interest, particularly trade and investment.
During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation in sectors of common interest, reflecting the growing bilateral relationship and the shared commitment to advancing it in service of both countries’ economic priorities.
Al Zeyoudi said: “Gabon is a growing trade and investment partner for the UAE in Africa, and the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between our two countries establishes a framework to accelerate trade and open up investment opportunities across priority sectors. This visit reflects our mutual commitment to translate the CEPA into tangible results for the business communities of both countries and to maximise the benefits of deeper trade and investment integration between our two nations.”
Non-oil trade between the UAE and Gabon reached US$320.6 million in 2025, more than double the value recorded in 2021. UAE non-oil exports to Gabon grew 27% year-on-year in 2025, reaching US$61.1 million, with key export categories including perfumes and consumer goods, petroleum distillates, and industrial equipment. In the first half of 2026, bilateral non-oil trade reached US$141.7 million, with UAE non-oil exports more than doubling to US$62.7 million compared to the same period in 2025.
In the presence of Jassim Al Qasimi, UAE Ambassador to Gabon, and Mohammed Rashid bin Tali’a, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Government Knowledge Exchange, Al Zeyoudi led a UAE delegation that included government officials, business leaders and representatives of Emirati companies operating across priority sectors.
The delegation held a series of meetings with senior Gabonese officials including Herman Imonault, Deputy Prime Minister; Ulrich Manfumbe, Minister of State for Transport, Maritime and Commerce, and Logistics; Marie-Edith Tasila-Ye-Dombini, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation; Zenaba Gninga Channing, Minister of Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises and Youth Entrepreneurship; Philippe Tunangui, Minister of Universal Access to Water and Energy; Thierry Minko, Minister of Economy, Finance and Investments; Clotaire Kungda, Minister of Oil and Gas; and Lawrence Mang-Mi Nzuqi, Minister of Public Service and Capacity Development.
The meetings focused on trade and investment cooperation and partnership opportunities across renewable energy, technology, mining, infrastructure, food security and logistics. The visit also included business-to-business meetings between ministers, officials and business leaders from the UAE and Gabon, which reviewed opportunities in priority sectors and the prospects for strengthening private-sector partnerships.
During the visit, Al Zeyoudi attended the official opening of the SOLEN solar power plant in Aimé Plaine, in the presence of Hugues-Alexandre Barrot-Chambrier, Vice President of Gabon, along with ministers and officials of the Gabonese government and the General Manager of the Gabonese Water and Electricity Company (SEEG). The UAE delegation also visited the Nok Private Investment Zone.
The visit follows the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Gabon in Abu Dhabi in February 2026. The agreement aims to reduce tariffs, remove barriers to trade, and boost investment flows in key sectors including agriculture, logistics, mining and renewable energy.
The visit is part of the UAE’s broader efforts to expand its economic partnerships across Africa. Since its launch in September 2021, the UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement program has concluded agreements with economies across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, in support of the country’s goals of promoting sustainable trade and investment. The UAE remains the continent’s largest source of new foreign direct investment, with over US$110 billion invested across Africa between 2019 and 2024.
Source: Emirates News Agency