Gabon: We must break cycles of community indebtedness and insecurity to ensure forest protection

To preserve forests and support climate goals local and indigenous communities need to be given the power to manage their natural resources. In Gabon, the legislative framework on community forest management does not provide for this.

Communities do not receive formal right to the land and have to go through extensive procedures to attain a community forest. This administrative steeplechase means communities have to go through many years of uncertainty and investment levels beyond what they can afford, which makes the communities vulnerable to unscrupulous actors.

In December 2025 a new study by Muyissi Environnement, a Gabonese civil society organisation, supported by Milieudefensie and Sauvons les Forêts, outlines the difficulties confronting local populations. It points towards opportunities where a measure of practical assistance – from Gabonese authorities, from international donors and organizations – could translate into strides forward in the protection of forests, biodiversity and climate, and ultimately human dignity.

Muyissi Environnement calls for a national land use plan, independent forest monitoring and direct access to funding for communities.

Photo: copyright Muyissi Environnement