Gabon, rich in natural resources – especially oil, wood, and manganese – is a middle-income country. Despite its economic resources, a third of the population lives below the national poverty line (€ 54 a month). Although a relatively large country (267,667 km², approximately the size of Italy), Gabon has a small population of 1.5 million, 85% of whom live in urban areas. The population is made up of about 40 sub-groups of mainly Bantu origin and includes about 245,000 migrants.

Key issues in EU-Gabon relations

The EU’s strategy during the 2008-2013 period covered by the 10 th EDF (European Development Fund 2008-2013) aims to reduce poverty by promoting sustainable economic and human development. This is based first and foremost on the pillars laid down by Gabon in its Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) document, adopted in 2006.

The Cooperation Strategy Document and the 10^th EDF (European Development Fund 2008-2013) National Indicative Programme, amounting to € 49 M, has identified the following as priority sectors:

• infrastructure and public facilities: in particular sanitation and public health, as well as road maintenance; and
• education and training: the two major concerns are basic education and technical education / vocational training.

The non-focal sector includes:

• the development and sustainable management of renewable natural resources: support for the conservation of renewable natural resources, management of national parks and development of communal tourism; and
• strengthening of private and public sector capacitiy, especially in the fields of regional integration and the EPA.