The French army has launched a training programme for several African militaries on environmental protection in Gabon, organised by the Academy for the Protection of the Environment and Natural Resources (APERN).
The initiative is part of France’s broader shift in Africa, moving from permanent military bases to a focus on support, capacity-building, and cooperation. Over several days, participants engage in field exercises and workshops addressing issues such as illegal gold mining, deforestation, and safeguarding sensitive ecosystems.
The programme brings together eleven teams from eight African countries — Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Chad, and Gabon — alongside a French team, under the supervision of Gabonese and French trainers. The event was attended by Gabon’s Minister of National Defence, highlighting the political significance of environmental security.
Commander Clavier, Technical Director of APERN, emphasised the exchange of expertise: “At APERN, we have strong experience in fighting illegal gold mining, drawing on French Guiana’s Operation Harpie and Gabon’s Operation Minkebe. Bringing these experiences together enables us to provide concrete, operational training to our African partners.”
The programme aims not only to share technical know-how but also to build long-term partnerships between armies facing shared environmental threats across borders.
