• Presidents Oligui Nguema and Díaz-Canel sign three accords in Havana.
• Agreements cover bilateral cooperation, legal enforcement, and agriculture.
• Gabon seeks to cut food imports by over 50% with Cuban expertise.

Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema signed three agreements with his Cuban counterpart Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez on September 28, 2025, during an official visit to Havana, according to Le Nouveau Gabon.

The first is a framework agreement on bilateral cooperation. The second covers the enforcement of legal judgments, aimed at strengthening investor confidence and legal security.

The third agreement focuses on agriculture and livestock. For Cuba, it offers a chance to share its expertise, while Gabon gains support in its drive for food self-sufficiency. Cuban company Labiofam, which produces veterinary medicines and agricultural inputs, has already pledged to back Gabon, including through a poultry farming project set for 2027.

These agreements come as Gabon works to reorient its agricultural policy toward local production covering more than half of national food needs. The government aims to reduce costly imports and stimulate an underdeveloped sector that contributes less than 5% to GDP, even though 40% of the rural population depends on it.

Currently, Gabon still imports around 60% of its basic foods, including cereals and meat. By leveraging Cuban expertise, authorities hope to scale up production, modernize and industrialize farming, and strengthen value chains. This strategy is expected to reduce import dependency while creating jobs and driving rural growth.