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Gabon

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Key Information

Gabon is not a participant to the Montreux Document.

Sector Size (2015)[i]

Estimated 7,000 PSC Personnel

 

 

Can PSC personnel carry firearms?

Unknown

International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA)

ICoCA Member State: No
ICoCA Company Members: 0
ICoCA CSO Members: 0
 

Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights

Voluntary Principles State Member: No

Summary

Little information is available on the private security industry in Gabon. An estimate from 2015 nevertheless indicated that the private security sector in Gabon would employ around 7,000 PSC personnel, indicating that it is a significant actor in the Gabonese security landscape. Gabon suffers from high crime rates, including crimes such as larceny, robberies, assassinations, and human trafficking. Incidence of crime are worst in big cities, particularly the capital Libreville. A large proportion of the Gabonese population reports that they do not feel completely safe in their own neighborhoods and homes.[ii]

Gabon’s military is made up of 5,000 personnel, including the Army, Navy, Airforce, and the Gendarmerie. The Gendarmerie is the national police force under the direction of the President of Gabon.

Legal Framework

*No information on national legislation regarding private security companies could be found.

Members of the Private Security Governance Observatory:

  • Brainforest – Coalition PWYP 

 

[i] Mounombou, Stevie. “Après le mouvement d'humeur des agents de La SGS : Retour à la sérénité.” Gabon Review. Gabonreview.com, April 8, 2015. http://gabonreview.com/blog/apres-le-mouvement-dhumeur-des-agents-de-la-sgs-retour-a-la-serenite/.

[ii] Wali Wali, Christian. “ La majorité des Gabonais estiment que leur sécurité personnelle s’est dégradée” Afrobaromètre. Afrobaromètre, November 15, 2018. https://www.afrobarometer.org/publications/ad256-la-majorite-des-gabonais-estiment-que-leur-securite-personnelle-sest-degradee.