Gabon submits draft for new Code of Civil Procedure

Gabon has officially received a draft for a new Code of Civil Procedure, marking a significant overhaul of the nation's judicial framework. The proposed 800-page document, presented by commission president César Apollinaire Ondo Mvé to Minister of Justice Augustin Emane, aims to replace the outdated 1977 ordinance.

The reform focuses on modernizing legal processes to match contemporary economic, technological, and social realities. Key objectives include reducing judicial delays, clarifying legal concepts to prevent divergent interpretations, and increasing accessibility for citizens. The draft emphasizes the promotion of conciliation and judicial mediation to resolve disputes.

A major component of the reform is the digitalization of judicial proceedings. This includes the dematerialization of procedural acts and the use of secure digital tools to modernize exchanges between legal actors. Additionally, the new code seeks to harmonize Gabonese law with the uniform acts of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA), particularly regarding simplified recovery procedures and enforcement methods.