In an interview with the specialised press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ communication directorate, Gabon’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Tunisia, Pierre Ntsiet Ngolo, laid out the roadmap for his diplomatic mission. Appointed in March 2024 and presenting his credentials to Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed on 6 November 2025, the seasoned diplomat has made a firm, constant and unwavering commitment to work with his teams and with support from headquarters to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between Libreville and Tunis, while ensuring the protection and well-being of the Gabonese community living in Tunisia.

One of the first actions of the new Gabonese diplomatic and consular authorities in Tunisia was to foster a spirit of associative cohesion. Mirroring diaspora organisations elsewhere, this led to the creation of two frameworks for dialogue and solidarity.

The first, a federative body named the Council of Gabonese in Tunisia (C.G.T.), brings together all roughly 1,000 Gabonese citizens living in the country—students, interns, professionals, and married couples—around charitable and humanitarian values of mutual aid, equity, and fraternity. The second, composed mainly of students and interns, is called the Association of Gabonese Students and Interns in Tunisia (A.E.S.G.T.).

“The unity and cohesion of the community have now become a tangible fact, particularly evident during the first edition of the Gabonese Cultural Days held on 24 and 25 April. This event demonstrated our community’s ability to come together around values of solidarity and fraternity,” said Ambassador Pierre Ntsiet Ngolo with satisfaction.

Consolidating gains

A key pillar of bilateral relations between Gabon and Tunisia is academic cooperation. This is illustrated by the large number of Gabonese students and interns in various Tunisian university centres, where the need for support is critical for young people who often face strict immigration policies.

Operating in a context marked by migration challenges, some students experience severe difficulties. Administrative hurdles, particularly regarding the renewal of residence permits, often arise because of delays in the payment of tuition fees.

“In this regard, I would like to use this platform to sound the alarm to families and the National Scholarship Agency of Gabon (ANBG) so that they can put in place prompt support measures and thus shorten the difficulties faced by our young compatriots who are confronted with the rigour of Tunisian immigration regulations,” urged the ambassador.

Health cooperation is also a priority. Through an agreement between Gabon’s National Health Insurance Fund (CNAMGS) and specialised Tunisian operators for medical evacuations, the new diplomatic team in Tunis aims to leverage Tunisia’s high-quality medical technology and expertise.

“Our responsibility is to consolidate these achievements and develop new partnerships that can support the development ambitions of both our states. This involves strengthening dialogue with our institutional partners and orienting most of our actions toward economic diplomacy. We must also explore various new mutually beneficial avenues based on the expertise and potential each country possesses, to be exploited within a framework of co-development,” said Pierre Ntsiet Ngolo.

Core target

“All are key economic players who subscribe to a sustainable pan-African vision with prospects of shared prosperity. In this respect, the organisation of economic missions led by Tunisian operators is an encouraging signal whose outcomes should materialise through the signing of investment agreements and partnerships,” promised the Gabonese ambassador to Tunisia.

Pierre Ntsiet Ngolo, who takes particular pride—beyond the management of diplomatic relations—in having developed from the outset a number of consular assistance mechanisms for Gabonese residents, noted: “This call for unity was positively received by the community, whose sense of abandonment had long marked their spirits.”