LIBREVILLE — In a signing ceremony at the Radisson Blu hotel in Libreville, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) signed two strategic cooperation agreements with Gabonese institutions to strengthen conservation through sustainable forestry and certification.
The accords—one with the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN), Gabon's national parks authority, and another with Université Omar Bongo (UOB)—were signed on March 12, 2026, in Libreville. Delegations from both institutions attended, alongside representatives of two national non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in forest certification processes.
The FSC delegation was led by Africa Regional Director Dr Peter Okello Alele, who noted that the signings present a valuable opportunity to further strengthen FSC’s relationship with a country that has increasingly embraced its values in recent years.
With more than 2.5 million hectares of FSC-certified forest and over 39 businesses using FSC standards to transform their operations and access international markets, Gabon continues to demonstrate a strong and growing commitment to sustainability.
Strengthening conservation in national parks
The agreement with ANPN aims to strengthen sustainable forest management across Gabon’s 13 national parks through FSC certification.
It provides for joint projects and programmes to advance certification, enhance the economic value of ecosystem services, and position them for global carbon, biodiversity, and environmental and social governance (ESG) markets. Gabon’s forests cover roughly 88 per cent of the country and store an estimated 4 billion tonnes of carbon, making them one of the most significant natural assets in sub-Saharan Africa. 
“Today, we are launching a new phase of ambition and action,” said ANPN Executive Secretary Omer Ntougou Ndoutoume. “Our objective is to certify ANPN’s management practices to provide internationally recognised assurance that our national parks are governed to the highest standards—safeguarding ecosystems, enhancing their long-term value, and delivering tangible benefits for local communities. This marks a decisive step toward positioning Gabon’s protected areas as global benchmarks for sustainable and responsible natural resource management.”
Nurturing the next generation of forest stewards at Université Omar Bongo
The accord with Université Omar Bongo—described by Dr Alele as the first of its kind between FSC and a university in Africa—will support academic, scientific, and technical programmes on sustainable forest management and FSC certification. It aims to build a strong domestic pipeline of forest governance expertise, helping close the gap in locally trained professionals capable of managing and auditing certification systems, while reducing reliance on foreign expertise. 
“This is the first cooperation agreement of its kind between FSC and a university anywhere in Africa.” — Dr Peter Okello Alele, FSC Africa Regional Director
Professor Sylvestre Kwahou, Vice-Rector of Université Omar Bongo, said the partnership is built on three pillars: training students in sustainable forest management and certification, advancing joint research between UOB and FSC experts, and mobilising funding for priority projects.
He added that the initiative will encourage innovation and position the university as a regional hub for forestry and certification expertise.
Engagement with the Ministry of Water and Forests
Following the signing, Dr Alele met with Gabriel Ntougou, Economic Adviser to the Minister of Water and Forests, who represented the minister.
Their discussions focused on key priorities shaping FSC’s expanding engagement in Gabon, including the next steps for the Zamba Heritage Initiative; updates to the existing cooperation agreement between FSC and the Ministry of Water and Forests; ongoing discussions on an establishment agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the formal recognition and institutional support for the Zamba Heritage Initiative.