AGP Executive Report

Congo Basin Conservation: A new Science Panel for the Congo Basin is pushing to close major knowledge gaps, launch more research and train 1,000 PhDs over the next decade—aiming to better protect the forest that shapes regional weather and stores huge amounts of carbon, while warning it faces pressure from slash-and-burn farming, logging, mining and charcoal demand. Gabon Fisheries Policy: Gabon has ended its 19-year fisheries partnership with the European Union, saying the deal no longer delivers fair economic returns; the government argues it will strengthen sovereignty over tuna resources and move toward a more balanced, sustainable cooperation framework. Gabon Climate Science (Gabon link): Caltech researchers are challenging earlier interpretations of ancient rock signals tied to Earth’s oxygen rise, using drill-core findings that include the Francevillian Basin in Gabon—showing how new lab work can reshape climate history narratives. Water Security: A report highlights the urgency of mapping Africa’s groundwater as droughts and heavy rains become more erratic, noting hundreds of millions still lack safe drinking water and that better underground water mapping could guide safer pumping. Regional Capacity Building: FIBA Africa ran a National Coach Developer Program in Abidjan, bringing together federations including Gabon to build sustainable, locally run coach education systems.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year fisheries partnership with the European Union, cancelling the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement after saying the deal no longer delivers fair economic returns; the latest 2021–2026 protocol allowed EU purse seiners, pole-and-line tuna vessels and exploratory trawlers to fish in Gabonese waters. Congo Basin Research: A new Science Panel for the Congo Basin, launched in Brazzaville, is pushing for major funding to train 1,000 PhD researchers over the next decade to better understand and protect the forest that stores huge amounts of carbon and shapes regional weather. Gabon Geology Study: Caltech researchers are challenging earlier interpretations from ancient rock drill cores in Gabon’s Francevillian Basin, adding new debate to how scientists read past global environmental change. Water Security: A wider Africa groundwater push highlights how mapping safe pumping zones can help communities cope as droughts and heavy rains disrupt surface water supplies. Sports & Youth (Gabon-linked): FIBA’s first National Coach Developer Program in Abidjan included Gabon among federations training technical leaders to build sustainable local coaching systems.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year fisheries partnership with the European Union, cancelling the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement that let EU industrial fleets target tuna in Gabonese waters, saying the deal no longer matched Gabon’s economic interests. Congo Basin Research Push: A new Science Panel for the Congo Basin launched in Brazzaville aims to boost knowledge and train 1,000 PhDs over the next decade, warning that slash-and-burn farming, logging, mining and charcoal demand are putting the forest’s climate role and biodiversity at risk. Gabon–Water Security: A continent-wide push to map Africa’s groundwater is gaining momentum as communities face more erratic rivers and rainfall, with teams developing tools to show where water can be pumped safely. Gabon–Mining Update: Millennial Potash reports strong high-grade drill results at its Banio Potash Project in Gabon, including a 220-metre potash-bearing intersection with thick carnallitite seams, supporting plans for the next exploration phase. Regional Capacity Building: FIBA Africa held its first National Coach Developer Program in Abidjan, bringing together technical directors from multiple federations including Gabon to strengthen local coach education systems.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, saying the deal no longer serves Gabon’s economic interests; the latest protocol (2021–2026) allowed EU purse seiners, pole-and-line tuna vessels and exploratory trawlers, after government moves to renegotiate began in 2025. Gabon–Mining & Resources: Millennial Potash reports strong new drill results at its Banio Potash Project, including 220 meters of potash-bearing rock with over 112.5 meters of carnallitite seams averaging 15.9% potassium chloride, supporting the continuity and scale of the deposit. Congo Basin Research: A science panel for the Congo Basin says the region is still “critically understudied” and is pushing to fund training for 1,000 PhDs over the next decade to better protect the forest that stores major carbon and shapes regional weather. Water Security: A new push to map Africa’s groundwater aims to help communities find where water can be safely pumped as droughts and heavy rains become more erratic. Governance & Rights: The World Social Forum in Cotonou faced bans and disruptions by Beninese authorities, including blocked marches and denied access to venues.

Gabon-EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, saying the deal no longer serves Gabon’s economic interests; the latest protocol (2021–2026) covered up to 27 EU purse seiners plus other tuna and exploratory vessels, and the government argues the returns from massive exploitation were not balanced. Biodiversity & Research: A new push by the Science Panel for the Congo Basin aims to boost knowledge and protection of the region’s forests, warning that slash-and-burn farming, logging, mining and charcoal demand threaten a major carbon sink and habitat for a fifth of the world’s living species. Water Security: A continent-wide effort is mapping Africa’s groundwater to help communities find where water can be pumped safely as droughts and heavy rains become more erratic. Climate Science (Gabon link): Caltech researchers challenge earlier interpretations of ancient rock signals tied to Earth’s oxygen rise, including drill-core findings from the Francevillian Basin in Gabon. Mining & Resources (Gabon): Millennial Potash reports strong high-grade potash drill results at its Banio project, including 220 meters of potash-bearing rock with thick carnallitite seams, supporting plans for further exploration.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, saying the deal no longer serves Gabon’s economic interests; the government argues EU industrial fleets were extracting tuna in ways that did not deliver fair returns, and the latest protocol (2021–2026) covered up to 27 purse seiners plus other vessels. Biodiversity & Research: A new push by the Science Panel for the Congo Basin aims to boost knowledge and training, with a goal to fund 1,000 PhDs over the next decade to better protect the forest that stores major carbon and supports vast wildlife. Water Security: A continent-wide effort is mapping Africa’s groundwater to help communities find safer, pumpable supplies as rainfall becomes more erratic and surface water grows harder to rely on. Mining & Environment: Millennial Potash reports strong high-grade drill results at its Banio Potash Project in Gabon, including thick potash-bearing intervals, as the company looks to upgrade its geological model. Sports (Not Environment): Most other headlines this week focus on international football and global rankings, with limited direct Gabon environment coverage.

Gabon-EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, saying the deal no longer delivers fair economic returns; the latest protocol (2021–2026) covered tuna fishing by EU purse seiners and other vessels, but the government argues exploitation outweighed benefits. Biodiversity & Climate Science (Gabon link): New research challenges earlier “ancient rocks” interpretations tied to Earth’s oxygen rise, with Caltech-led work questioning carbon-isotope signals from drill cores including the Francevillian Basin in Gabon—important for understanding global environmental change. Congo Basin Research: A major science push is underway for the Congo Basin, described as a key carbon store and biodiversity hotspot; a panel aims to train 1,000 PhDs and boost funding to better protect the ecosystem from fires, logging, and mining. Water Security: A continent-wide effort is mapping Africa’s groundwater to help communities find safer, pumpable supplies as droughts and heavy rains become harder to predict. Gabon Mining: Millennial Potash reports strong high-grade results at its Banio project in Gabon, including a long potash-bearing intersection, supporting plans for further exploration and resource upgrades. Sports Development (Gabon participation): FIBA’s first National Coach Developer Program in Abidjan trained technical directors from 12 federations including Gabon, aiming to build sustainable local coach education systems.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, saying the deal no longer serves its economic interests; the latest 2021–2026 protocol covered EU purse seiners and other tuna and crustacean fishing, after government moves to renegotiate and then formally end the agreement on June 29, 2026. Congo Basin Research: A new Science Panel for the Congo Basin is pushing to close major knowledge gaps, aiming to train 1,000 PhDs over the next decade to better protect the forest that stores vast carbon and supports biodiversity—while warning it faces slash-and-burn, logging, mining and charcoal demand. Water Security Mapping: A pan-African effort is mapping groundwater to help communities manage drought and extreme rainfall swings, using science-based maps to identify where water can be pumped safely. Gabon Mining Watch: Millennial Potash reports strong Banio Potash drilling results, including 220 meters of potash-bearing rock with thick, high-grade carnallitite seams, supporting plans to upgrade the project’s resource model. Climate Science Debate (Gabon link): Caltech researchers challenge earlier interpretations of ancient rock signals from drill cores, including from Gabon’s Francevillian Basin, raising new questions about past global environmental change.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year fisheries partnership with the European Union, saying the deal no longer serves Gabon’s economic interests. The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement was set up in 2007 and, under the latest 2021–2026 protocol, allowed EU industrial tuna fleets to fish in Gabonese waters. Water Security: A new push to map Africa’s groundwater highlights how climate-driven swings between drought and heavy rain are making surface water less reliable, while underground aquifers could help communities secure safer drinking water. Congo Basin Research: Scientists are calling for more funding and training to better understand and protect the Congo Basin, warning that slash-and-burn farming, logging, mining and charcoal demand threaten the forest’s climate role and biodiversity. Gabon Offshore Oil Watch: Ahead of African Energy Week in Cape Town, a Gabon-focused panel points to regulatory reforms and faster contracting as the country seeks to revive and expand deepwater offshore oil production. Gabon Potash Drilling: Millennial Potash reports strong high-grade drill results at its Banio project, including a long potash-bearing intersection, boosting confidence in the deposit’s size and quality. AfCFTA Awareness in Gabon: An Afrobarometer report finds free-trade support is rising across Africa, but awareness of the AfCFTA remains low—Gabon is among the higher-awareness countries, yet only about a quarter of citizens know of it.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year fisheries partnership with the European Union, cancelling the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement that let EU industrial vessels target tuna in Gabonese waters, saying the deal no longer matched Gabon’s economic interests. Offshore Oil Push: As Gabon ramps up deepwater activity, African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 will host a panel on the “revival and expansion” of offshore production, pointing to new licensing and faster moves to convert deals into production sharing contracts. Water Security Research: A new push to map Africa’s groundwater highlights a hidden buffer against a hotter future, aiming to guide safer pumping as droughts and downpours disrupt surface water. Congo Basin Science Drive: A major effort is underway to study and protect the Congo Basin, with a new science panel seeking funding to train 1,000 PhDs and warn that slash-and-burn, logging, mining and charcoal demand threaten the forest. AfCFTA Awareness Gap: An Afrobarometer report finds free-trade support is rising across Africa, but AfCFTA awareness remains low—only 26% in Gabon have heard of it. Groundwater & Freshwater Context: A global ranking on freshwater per person underscores that abundant resources don’t automatically mean safe drinking water for residents.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year fisheries partnership with the European Union, cancelling the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement after saying the deal no longer matched the country’s economic interests; the latest protocol (2021–2026) covered EU tuna purse seiners and other vessels, and the government framed the move as strengthening sovereignty over fishery resources. Offshore Oil Push: As Gabon ramps up deepwater investment, African Energy Week 2026 will host a panel on the “revival and expansion” of offshore production, pointing to a fast-track push to convert MoUs with ExxonMobil and bp into production sharing contracts and highlighting large remaining unexplored acreage. Mining & Resources: Millennial Potash reports strong high-grade drill results at its Banio Potash Project in Gabon, including 220 meters of potash-bearing rock with thick carnallitite seams, supporting claims of continuity and potential upgrades. Climate Science (Congo Basin): A new push by nearly 200 scientists aims to expand research on the Congo Basin, warning it’s under pressure from slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, mining and charcoal demand, and calling for training hundreds of PhDs to better defend the ecosystem. Water Security (Africa-wide): A groundwater mapping effort is developing digital maps to show where water can be pumped safely, responding to more erratic droughts and downpours and the fact that hundreds of millions still lack safe drinking water. Policy & Public Opinion (AfCFTA): An Afrobarometer report finds free-trade support is rising across Africa, but awareness of AfCFTA remains low—Gabon is among the higher-awareness countries at 26%.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, saying the deal no longer delivers fair economic returns; the latest protocol (2021–2026) covered EU purse seiners and other tuna and crustacean fishing, and the government framed the move as strengthening sovereignty and pushing a more balanced, sustainable cooperation model. Congo Basin Research: A new Science Panel for the Congo Basin launched in Brazzaville to expand knowledge and protect the forest, warning that slash-and-burn farming, logging, mining and charcoal demand threaten a region that stores major carbon and shapes regional weather. Gabon Offshore Push: Ahead of African Energy Week in Cape Town, a Gabon-focused panel highlights offshore “revival” plans, including a licensing campaign covering about 70% of available acreage and faster talks to convert ExxonMobil and bp MoUs into production sharing contracts. Gabon Potash Drilling: Millennial Potash reported strong Banio Potash Project results, including 220 meters of potash-bearing rock with thick carnallitite seams, supporting claims of a larger, richer deposit and next steps for analysis and further drilling. Groundwater Resilience: A continent-wide push to map Africa’s groundwater aims to help communities find safe, pumpable supplies as rainfall becomes less predictable.

Gabon–EU Fisheries: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, saying the deal no longer served Gabon’s economic interests; the latest protocol (2021–2026) covered tuna purse seiners and other EU vessels, and the government framed the exit as a push for sovereignty and a more balanced, sustainable cooperation model. Offshore Oil Push: As African Energy Week 2026 prepares to host a Gabon-focused panel on deepwater expansion, Gabon is accelerating offshore licensing (about 70% of acreage) and moving MoUs with ExxonMobil and bp toward production sharing contracts, with much of the deepwater basin still unexplored. Congo Basin Research Drive: A new Science Panel for the Congo Basin is launching major research efforts from Brazzaville, aiming to train 1,000 PhDs over the next decade to better protect the forest that stores huge carbon and supports biodiversity under pressure from agriculture, logging, mining and charcoal demand. Water Security Mapping: A continent-wide groundwater mapping effort is building digital maps to show where communities can safely pump water as droughts and heavy rains become more erratic, targeting the hidden aquifers that could ease drinking-water shortages. Mining & Potash Results: Millennial Potash reports strong high-grade drill results at its Banio Potash Project in Gabon, including 220m of potash-bearing rock with thick carnallitite seams, supporting plans for further analysis and upcoming drilling updates.

Fisheries & Sovereignty: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the EU, saying the deal no longer matches the country’s economic interests; the 2021–2026 protocol allowed EU purse seiners, pole-and-line tuna vessels and exploratory trawlers, but Gabon moved to renegotiate before formally ending it on June 29, 2026. Offshore Oil Push: As Gabon ramps up deepwater licensing (about 70% of offshore acreage) and seeks faster conversion of MoUs with ExxonMobil and bp into production sharing contracts, AEW 2026 will spotlight the “revival and expansion” of offshore production. Water Security: A new push to map Africa’s groundwater highlights a hidden buffer against hotter, more erratic weather, aiming to guide safe pumping and reduce reliance on unpredictable surface water. Biodiversity Research: Scientists behind the Science Panel for the Congo Basin say the region is still poorly studied and are seeking funding to train 1,000 PhDs to better protect forests under pressure from fires, logging and mining. Mining & Jobs: Millennial Potash reports strong Banio Potash Project drill results in Gabon, including 220m of potash-bearing rock with thick high-grade carnallitite seams. Public Opinion & Trade: Afrobarometer finds free-trade support is rising across Africa, but AfCFTA awareness remains low—Gabon sits at 26% awareness.

EU Fisheries Exit: Gabon has ended its 19-year Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, saying the deal no longer matches the country’s economic interests; the latest 2021–2026 protocol allowed EU tuna purse seiners and other vessels to fish in Gabonese waters, but Libreville argues exploitation returns have been too low for the scale of resource use. Offshore Oil Push: As AEW 2026 approaches in Cape Town (Oct 12–16), Gabon is pitching a deepwater revival, citing a fast-track push to convert ExxonMobil and bp MoUs into production sharing contracts and noting most deepwater acreage remains unexplored. Potash Drilling Boost: Millennial Potash reports strong Banio Project results in Gabon, including 220m of potash-bearing rock with thick carnallitite seams, supporting plans to upgrade the geological model. Water Resilience Mapping: A new Africa-wide groundwater mapping effort aims to help communities find safe, pumpable supplies as droughts and downpours become harder to predict. Trade Awareness Gap: Afrobarometer finds free-trade support is rising, but AfCFTA awareness remains low—Gabon sits among the higher-awareness countries at 26%. Governance & Security: Central Africa security actors in Yaounde are training to shift from reactive policing to strategic anticipation and prevention. Energy Access Theme: A continent-wide push highlights “Mission 300” to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030.

Groundwater Mapping for Resilience: A new Africa-wide push is using hydrogeologists and water policy experts to build a digital map of safe groundwater pumping sites as hotter weather makes rivers and lakes less reliable, with hundreds of millions still lacking basic drinking water. Gabon Potash Drilling Boost: Millennial Potash reports standout Banio Potash Project results in Gabon, including a drill intersection of 220 meters of potash-bearing rock with thick carnallitite seams, strengthening the case for a larger, richer deposit. Gabon Offshore Oil Momentum: Ahead of African Energy Week 2026, Gabon’s offshore revival is highlighted through plans for deeper exploration, faster contract conversions, and a licensing drive covering much of available acreage. AfCFTA Awareness Gap: An Afrobarometer report finds only 13% of Africans have heard of AfCFTA, even as support for easier trade rises—Gabon is among the higher-awareness countries at 26%. Skills for Green-Linked Jobs: Gabon-linked regional cooperation and training themes continue to surface, with international programs backing skills and sustainable agriculture and food systems.