Business law in Gabon

Legal Framework

Independence of Justice

According to Freedom House, the executive branch effectively controls the judiciary. The judiciary is accountable to the Ministry of Justice, through which the president has the power to appoint and dismiss judges. Judicial capacity is weak, and Gabon’s courts are subject to political influence.
Legal safeguards against arbitrary arrest and detention are not upheld by police in practice, and detainees are often denied access to lawyers.

Equal Treatment of Nationals and Foreigners

Foreigners cannot always expect an equal treatment: the country’s large population of noncitizen African immigrants is often subject to discrimination, including by police. Indigenous people reportedly experience discrimination in the workplace and often live in extreme poverty.

The Language of Justice

French

Recourse to an Interpreter

It is possible to have an interpreter in Gabon.

Sources of the Law and Legal Similarities

The legal system of Gabon is derived by the French civil law system and by customary law. The main sources of the law are the Constitution, regularly signed and ratified international treaties, acts of parliament, ordinances, decrees.

Checking National Laws Online

Library of the U.S. Congress
LegiGabon