The French army has begun training multiple African forces in environmental protection in Gabon under a programme led by the Academy for the Protection of the Environment and Natural Resources (APERN).
The initiative focuses on emerging security threats such as illegal gold mining, deforestation, and the protection of fragile ecosystems—issues increasingly linked to instability across parts of the continent.
Africa News reports that the exercises bring together teams from eight African countries, including Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Chad and Gabon, alongside French personnel.
Participants are undergoing field drills and workshops designed to build operational capacity and encourage cross-border cooperation.
France shifts strategy after Sahel setbacks
The training programme reflects a broader recalibration of France’s military posture in Africa, moving away from permanent troop deployments toward partnership-based models.
This comes after a series of diplomatic and military setbacks in the Sahel, where countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have pushed out French forces and redefined their security alliances.
Rather than maintaining bases, Paris is now focusing on training, intelligence sharing, and capacity building, an approach officials say is more sustainable and better aligned with African governments’ evolving priorities.
“This partnership is, above all, an exchange — an exchange of expertise,” said Commander Clavier, Technical Director of the Academy for the Protection of the Environment and Natural Resources (APERN), noting that France is drawing on experience from operations in French Guiana while also incorporating local knowledge from Gabon.
The presence of Gabon’s defence minister at the event reflects the growing political importance of environmental security, as illegal mining and deforestation increasingly intersect with organized crime and armed groups.
France’s renewed engagement suggests a strategic pivot rather than a retreat, as it seeks to rebuild influence in Africa through cooperation rather than military dominance.
