BRUSSELS, 10th June, 2025 (WAM) -- Gabon recently announced its decision to unilaterally terminate the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) signed with the European Union in 2007.
This termination, approved by the Council of Ministers, is motivated by the Gabonese government’s desire to strengthen its economic sovereignty and build a more robust local tuna industry.
The Gabonese government considers the existing agreement “deeply unbalanced” and emphasises in particular that the revenue generated does not compensate for the real value of catches, the costs of monitoring and control, or the losses due to the lack of local processing.
According to Gabonese authorities, the government’s new approach aims to emphasise the need to strengthen fisheries governance, protect the marine environment, and support job creation and activities in the fisheries sector.