Gabon President Oligui Nguema launches vulnerable‑population census and advances Mbanié border talks

President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema ordered the government to begin an emergency census of Gabonese households that are economically and socially vulnerable, to follow the general population and housing census (RGPL) that achieved 97 % national coverage. The provisional results were presented by Planning Minister Louise Pierrette Mvono; the operation employed digital data collection, geolocation of enumerators and received technical support from the UN Population Fund and the World Bank.

In parallel, Nguema received AU Commission envoy Albert Shingiro to review the long‑standing border dispute with Equatorial Guinea over the tiny island of Mbanié and adjacent islets. The disagreement concerns maritime delimitations and potential offshore oil, gas and fisheries resources in the Gulf of Guinea. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful, African‑led mediation and to finalising an agreement that will implement the International Court of Justice ruling, with a joint mechanism to be signed by the foreign ministers in the coming weeks.