On November 5, 2026, in Libreville, Gabon's Justice Minister, Augustin Emane, met with Aliou Sall, head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Gabon, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in the fight against human trafficking and illicit trafficking. The meeting aimed to explore possibilities for enhancing the legal framework to prevent and suppress human trafficking and irregular migration. The discussions focused on technical support from UNODC to Gabon and the development of legal texts to consolidate the country's legal device for prevention and repression.
The meeting was also attended by Samia Chouchane, head of the UNODC regional office in Dakar, Senegal, who expressed the organization's willingness to develop initiatives tailored to Gabon's needs and priorities in these areas. The areas of cooperation discussed included joint project identification, mobilization of funding, and strengthening police and trans-border cooperation. Minister Emane emphasized the need for rigorous management of migratory flows, while respecting fundamental rights. He also highlighted the development of networks exploiting people in the context of irregular migration to Gabon.
Minister Emane alerted on the issue of human trafficking, particularly the trafficking of children, and stressed the need for special attention to be given to this vulnerable group. The two parties agreed to strengthen collaboration between national administrations and UN agencies to establish sustainable responses to human trafficking and illicit trafficking. They also discussed the protection of victims and investigations within the National Committee for the Prevention and Fight against Human Trafficking and Illicit Trafficking.
UNODC reaffirmed its availability to accompany Gabon in a comprehensive approach to these issues. Minister Emane pleaded for increased attention to child protection and stressed the need to distinguish human trafficking, which is a criminal activity, from ordinary migratory phenomena. He recalled that the fight against human trafficking must particularly target networks that deprive people of their rights and exploit their vulnerability.
At the end of the audience, Gabon and UNODC reaffirmed their commitment to making the strengthening of the normative framework a priority axis of their cooperation, particularly through the development of adapted legal texts to better prevent and combat human trafficking and illicit trafficking. The meeting was also attended by Mohamed Fall, a specialist in monitoring and evaluation from the UNODC office in Libreville.
The cooperation between Gabon and UNODC aims to provide a comprehensive response to the issues of human trafficking and illicit trafficking. The two parties recognize the need for a strengthened legal framework to prevent and suppress these crimes. They also emphasize the importance of protecting victims and combating the networks that exploit them.
The partnership between Gabon and UNODC is expected to yield concrete results in the fight against human trafficking and illicit trafficking. The two parties will work together to develop and implement effective strategies to prevent and combat these crimes, while protecting the rights of victims and vulnerable groups.
Key points
- Gabon and UNODC to strengthen cooperation in combating human trafficking and illicit trafficking.
- Development of adapted legal texts to better prevent and combat human trafficking and illicit trafficking.
- Protection of victims and combating networks that exploit them.
