Sub Saharan Africa

Gabon
Still current at: 08 November 2009 Updated: 28 October 2009

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Summary and the Political Situation section. We no longer advise against all but essential travel to Gabon.

(see travel advice legal disclaimer)

Travel advice for this country

Travel Summary

There is no British Embassy in Gabon. In an emergency, you can obtain consular assistance from the British Honorary Consul in Libreville. Otherwise, all enquiries should be made to the British High Commission in Yaoundé, Cameroon. See the General section of this travel advice for more details.
Ali Bongo, the son of Gabon's long serving President Omar Bongo, was inaugurated as the new President of Gabon on 16 October. There was some unrest following the results of the elections on 3 September 2009. The situation across the country has now stabilised; we no longer advise against all but essential travel to Gabon. There are currently no travel restrictions for Gabon. See the Political section of this travel advice for more details.
There has been a confirmed human case of the A (H1N1) virus (Swine Flu) in Gabon (source: World Health Organisation). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. Check Swine Flu for further information.
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
No British nationals required consular assistance in Gabon in 2007 or 2008. However, you should be aware that crime is increasing, particularly in Libreville and Port-Gentil. See the Crime section of this travel advice for more details.
We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. For more general information see Terrorism abroad.

Crime

Crime is increasing, particularly in Libreville and Port-Gentil, including incidents of robbery and armed attacks. You should take sensible personal security precautions and maintain a high level of vigilance in public places. We recommend that you avoid carrying valuables or wearing jewellery in public. You should avoid isolated or poorer areas of towns and walking alone at night. We advise you to be cautious on quiet or isolated beaches in and around Libreville, and to avoid them altogether at night.

Following a number of car-jackings within Libreville we recommend that you keep your car windows closed and car doors locked if you are travelling at night. Do not stop to pick up strangers. To avoid the risk of serious injury do not resist car-jackers. You may find that an immobiliser that operates after the vehicle has been driven a short distance or a tracking device can help with the recovery of your vehicle.

For more general information see Victims of crime abroad.

Political Situation

Gabon Country Profile

Omar Bongo, Gabon’s President since 1967, died on 8 June 2009. Given that Bongo had been in power for some length of time, there has been uncertainty regarding the political situation in Gabon. You should remain abreast of political developments.

Omar Bongo’s son, Ali Bongo, was inaugurated as the new President of Gabon on 16 October 2009. There was unrest in some areas following the announcement of the election results on 3 September. The economic capital of Port-Gentil was worst affected by the disturbances, having been subject to rioting and looting for a period of three days following the elections. A curfew remains in place in Port Gentil, which restricts movement between midnight and 0600. However, the situation has now stabilised across the country. Transport and other infrastructure is functioning normally.

You should nevertheless avoid demonstrations, rallies and large public gatherings; even peaceful demonstrations have the potential to escalate. We advise UK citizens in Gabon to maintain a low profile, and monitor this travel advice regularly.

Local Travel

Road conditions are poor in most local areas and driving can be hazardous. During the rainy season from October to mid-December and mid-February to May many roads are passable only with a four-wheel drive vehicle. You should avoid travelling by road at night. Police checkpoints are common, where you may be asked to show your passport, driving licence or vehicle registration documents.

Air Travel

The EU has published a list of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban or restrictions within the community. You should check the following link to see whether this will affect your travel - European Commission Transport - Air.

British Government employees do not use domestic flights run by Gabonese airline companies unless this is unavoidable. You should bear this in mind when making your travel plans.

For more general information see Airline security.

Local laws and customs

Penalties for the use and possession of drugs are severe and usually include a prison sentence.

Homosexuality is not widely accepted in central African society and some sexual acts between members of the same sex are illegal.

Taking photographs of military sites and government buildings is forbidden.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Your trip.

Entry requirements

Visas

British nationals require a visa to visit Gabon. To apply for a visa and to obtain further information on entry requirements, please contact the Gabonese Embassy in London.

Yellow Fever Certificate

You will be asked to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival in the country. Failure to do so may result in a further vaccination being administered, for which a charge is made.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Gabonese Embassy in London.

Health

Medical facilities are limited, particularly in rural areas.

You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Gabon you should seek immediate medical attention.

There has been a confirmed human case of the A (H1N1) virus (Swine Flu) in Gabon (source: World Health Organisation). The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. Check the FCO Swine Flu page for further information.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 46,000 adults aged 15 or over in Gabon were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 5.9% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Gabon and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel health.

General

Insurance

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How we can help.

British Representation

There is no British Embassy in Gabon. In an emergency, you can obtain consular assistance from the British Honorary Consul in Libreville (tel: + 241 769 899 during office hours; or + 241 0626 3994 at other times).

The nearest British diplomatic mission is in Yaoundé, Cameroon (see contact details).

Consular registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE

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Contacts

Cameroon, British High Commission, Yaoundé

Address:

British High Commission
Avenue Winston Churchill
BP 547

Telephone:

(237) 2222 05 45
(237) 2222 07 96

Fax:

(237) 2222 01 48

Email: BHC.yaounde@fco.gov.uk

Office hours:

GMT: Mon-Thurs: 0645 - 1145, 1300 - 1445
Fri: 0645 - 1245
Local: Mon-Thurs: 0745 - 1245, 1400 - 1545
Fri: 0745 - 1345

Website: http://ukincameroon.fco.gov.uk/en/

LOCATE: Register with us

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