Gabon’s President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema begins his State visit to France on July 20, 2026. As a significant yet compact oil-producing nation in Central Africa, Gabon boasts a wealth of natural resources—particularly minerals—and has long maintained a unique and enduring bond with France. Far from following the trend of shifting cooperation dynamics between Paris and African capitals, Gabon stands out as an exception in Franco-African relations. Bergès Mietté, a political science lecturer at the International University of Libreville, examines what makes Gabon’s relationship with France so resilient.