[Ferro-Alloys.com] France and EU inject funds to assist Gabon in upgrading its cross Gabon railway

The upgraded transportation capacity of the project will establish a linkage development path between inland resource areas and seaports

Gabon launches a comprehensive upgrade plan for the Trans Gabon Railway, which will open up key transportation channels for the diversification of the national economy

During a critical period of seeking economic diversification in Gabon, the transportation artery that runs through the country, the Libreville Franceville Trans Gabonese Railway, has ushered in a historic upgrade opportunity. On November 24, 2025, under the joint witness of French President Macron and Gabonese President Ngouma, a railway upgrade financing agreement with a total amount of 203 million euros was officially signed. The French Development Agency and the European Union will provide 173 million euros in sovereign loans and 30 million euros in funding respectively to jointly support this strategic project aimed at enhancing transportation capacity and driving inland development.

The core goal of this upgrade plan is to thoroughly improve the reliability of this 648 kilometer railway. The investment will be used to repair unstable sections of the route and upgrade critical infrastructure to ensure its long-term sustainability. After the renovation, the railway capacity will be significantly increased, providing up to 16 routes per day and 8 trains in each direction, providing a solid guarantee for the efficient export of bulk goods such as minerals and timber.

In addition to improving freight capacity, the plan also focuses on improving people's livelihoods, including developing modern passenger services and modernizing stations. In addition, the project will provide institutional capacity building support to assist the Gabonese government and operator Setrag in improving management efficiency. The French Development Agency emphasized that this program is deeply aligned with Gabon's strategy of achieving economic diversification by supporting the mining, forestry, and agriculture sectors, and is also consistent with the EU's global gateway strategy aimed at investing in sustainable infrastructure worldwide. Keywords: international news, transportation news

This railway line that crosses Gabon carries far more than just trains. When the upgraded steel artery begins to pulse efficiently, it will become an accelerator for Gabon's economic diversification, fully activating the development potential of the inland region and more firmly connecting this Central African country to the global supply chain. This investment also clearly demonstrates that supporting the construction of sustainable and high-quality infrastructure in Africa is becoming a core agenda of the European partnership within the strategic framework of the EU's global gateway.

• [Editor:tianyawei]