Gabon’s Planned 2027 Poultry Import Ban Draws US Challenge at WTO
The United States has questioned Gabon at the WTO over its planned 2027 ban on broiler chicken imports. Gabon imported about 104,000 tons of poultry meat and offal in 2025, led by supplies from Brazil, the European Union and the United States.
Washington raises the issue at the WTO
Gabon’s plan to prohibit broiler chicken imports in 2027 has drawn objections from the United States, creating a trade policy test for Libreville as it seeks to expand domestic poultry production. The United States recently raised the measure with Gabon at the World Trade Organization, Ecofin Agency reported, citing a statement issued after a Cabinet meeting on September 18.
The statement did not specify the legal form of the US action or Washington’s arguments. Gabon said it would develop a national strategy using exceptions available under WTO agreements and diplomatic negotiations to prevent a dispute and protect its economic interests. The response indicates that the government is preparing to defend the measure while keeping negotiations open with supplying countries.
A 104,000-ton import market
Gabon imported about 104,000 tons of poultry meat and offal in 2025, according to international trade data cited by Ecofin Agency. Brazil supplied nearly 54,000 tons, equivalent to about 52% of the total. European Union countries provided roughly 23,000 tons, or close to 22%.
The United States supplied an estimated 9,600 tons worth about $12 million. Although material for Gabon’s food market, those shipments represented only around 0.3% of US poultry export volume and about 0.25% of export value. The United States exported about 3.2 million tons of poultry meat and offal in 2025, valued at nearly $4.7 billion.
The relatively small US exposure means the dispute has implications beyond the immediate value of shipments to Gabon. American meat exporters are seeking broader access to African markets. On June 1, 2026, the US Meat Export Federation asked the Office of the US Trade Representative to make greater use of the African Growth and Opportunity Act to improve market access, citing barriers in South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Namibia and Kenya. That initiative did not directly target Gabon or poultry.
Domestic capacity becomes the central test
Libreville’s stated objectives are to create a larger market for domestic producers, attract poultry investment and reduce dependence on foreign supply. Implementing a full ban, however, would require local farms and processors to replace a substantial portion of the 104,000 tons imported in 2025. Any supply shortfall could affect availability for distributors and consumers while increasing pressure on the government to allow exemptions or phase in the restriction.
Investment is accelerating ahead of the 2027 deadline. On May 4, Gabonese authorities announced five agreements worth more than CFA775 billion, or about $1.35 billion, with domestic and foreign investors for poultry and agro-industrial production capacity. The investors include Turkey’s Hakan Kiran Holding and Gabon’s NJS. The source did not provide projected poultry output or commissioning schedules for the projects.
Without those production details, it remains unclear how much of the current import requirement can be replaced before the ban takes effect. Producers need enough farming, feed, hatchery, processing, cold-storage and distribution capacity to supply the market consistently. Importers and foreign suppliers, meanwhile, face uncertainty over whether the final policy will be an absolute prohibition, a phased restriction or a measure containing negotiated exceptions.
South Africa provides a precedent for the political sensitivity of poultry access. The United States reviewed South Africa’s AGOA eligibility in 2015 partly over market barriers affecting US products, including poultry. The two governments later agreed on an annual tariff-rate quota of 65,000 tons for certain US chicken imports, and shipments resumed in 2016. Gabon’s eventual approach may differ, but the case shows how poultry restrictions can become linked to wider trade relations.
The immediate question is therefore not only whether Gabon can justify the ban under WTO rules. Its durability will also depend on whether the announced investments can deliver enough competitively priced poultry before imported supply is withdrawn. Brazil and EU suppliers have more volume at risk than the United States, making consultations with all major partners important as the 2027 deadline approaches.
