French Army Begins Environmental Protection Training for African Forces in Gabon. Libreville, Gabon — The French army has commenced a comprehensive environmental protection training program for military forces from across Africa, held in Gabon. This initiative, organized by the Academy for the Protection of the Environment and Natural Resources (APERN), is part of France’s evolving military strategy in the region, which now emphasizes support and capacity-building.
The training, spanning several days, involves field exercises and workshops aimed at addressing pressing environmental challenges such as illegal gold mining, deforestation, and the safeguarding of delicate ecosystems. Eleven teams, each from different African countries including Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Chad, and Gabon, along with a French contingent, are participating under the guidance of Gabonese and French instructors. Gabon’s Minister of National Defence attended the event, emphasizing the critical role of environmental security in the region.
The organizers of the training assert that the objective is not only to disseminate technical expertise but also to foster long — term partnerships among armies that confront similar environmental threats. Commander Clavier, the Technical Director of APERN, highlighted the collaborative nature of the program. “This partnership is, above all, an exchange — an exchange of expertise, “he explained. “.
Bringing together our experiences in illegal gold mining, particularly from French Guiana and Gabon, allows us to provide very concrete, operational training to our African partners.”
The training comes in the wake of France’s decision to dismantle its permanent military bases in Africa, signaling a shift towards a more flexible and responsive military posture. Further details regarding the outcomes of the training are expected in the coming days.
