Support for the Management of Marine Protected Areas in Gabon

The EU grant opportunity titled "Support for the Management of Marine Protected Areas in Gabon" is part of the EU External Action - Prospect programme with a total funding budget of €2 million. This open call targets projects aimed at enhancing governance, conservation, and management of marine protected areas in Gabon. The eligible applicants include non-governmental organizations, research institutes, government agencies, international organizations, and potential consortia, particularly those with expertise in biodiversity conservation and marine resource management in Central or Sub-Saharan Africa.

Funding is provided through non-repayable grants, with a consortium approach likely required due to the complexity of marine management projects. The geographical scope primarily includes Gabon, but also allows participation from EU Member States, EEA countries, and other African nations as implementing partners. The targeted sectors encompass environmental conservation, biodiversity, ocean governance, and climate change mitigation.

Projects must operate in stages of demonstration, validation, or implementation rather than concept development, focusing on actual management practices for marine protected areas. The call is open for submissions from January 28, 2026, with a deadline of April 30, 2026, and all application materials are available in French. While specific co-funding requirements are not detailed, EU grants often require a contribution of 10-25% from beneficiaries. The success rates for funding applications usually range from 10-40%, depending on various factors.

The overall aim is to align with Gabon's green transition priorities and strengthen institutional capacity for marine area management, conservation measures, sustainable financing, and community engagement. The proposals must demonstrate technical capacity, partnerships, detailed implementation strategies, and projected impacts on environmental and socio-economic fronts.

The funding opportunity is titled "Support for the Management of Marine Protected Areas in Gabon" with the reference number EuropeAid/185516/DD/ACT/Multi. It is an open call for submission of grant proposals.

This is an Action Grant under the Sub-Saharan Africa Programme, specifically targeting the Central Africa Region.

The total budget allocated for this call is 2,000,000 EUR.

The call was published on January 28, 2026, and updated on January 27, 2026.

The deadline for submission of proposals is April 30, 2026.

The following documents are available for download:

LIGNES DIRECTRICES (Guidelines) in French, dated January 28, 2026.

Documents techniques pour information (Technical documents for information) in French, dated January 28, 2026.

Documents à complèter (y inclus formulaires de demande) (Documents to be completed, including application forms) in French, dated January 28, 2026.

Annexe G - conditions particulières du contrat (Annex G - specific contract conditions) in French, dated January 28, 2026.

Annexes du contrat type pour information (Annexes of the standard contract for information) in French, dated January 28, 2026.

The opportunity is focused on providing financial support, through action grants, to initiatives aimed at the effective management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Gabon. The geographical focus is the Central Africa region, under the broader Sub-Saharan Africa Programme. The available documents, all in French, provide detailed guidelines, technical information, application forms, and contract conditions. Potential applicants should carefully review these documents to understand the specific requirements, eligibility criteria, and application procedures for this funding opportunity. The overall goal is to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity within Gabon's protected areas.

Eligible Applicant Types: The provided text does not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. Further documentation, such as the "LIGNES DIRECTRICES" (guidelines), would be needed to determine the eligible applicant types.

Funding Type: Action Grants.

Consortium Requirement: The provided text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. Further documentation, such as the "LIGNES DIRECTRICES" (guidelines), would be needed to determine this.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The program targets Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically the Central Africa region. Therefore, applicants should likely be based in or have activities relevant to this region.

Target Sector: The program targets the management of Marine Protected Areas. This falls under the broader sectors of environment, conservation, and potentially agriculture/food (related to fisheries) and climate (related to ocean health).

Mentioned Countries: Gabon is mentioned in the title "Support for the Management of Marine Protected Areas in Gabon." The region of Central Africa is also mentioned.

Project Stage: The call focuses on "Support for the Management of Marine Protected Areas," suggesting projects should be at the management or implementation stage, rather than purely research or idea stage. This implies a stage of validation, demonstration, or potentially even scale-up of existing management practices.

Funding Amount: 2,000,000 EUR.

Application Type: Open Call, as indicated by "Open For Submission."

Nature of Support: Money, as it is an Action Grant with a specified budget.

Application Stages: The provided text does not explicitly state the number of application stages. Further documentation would be needed to determine this.

Success Rates: The provided text does not provide information on success rates.

Co-funding Requirement: The provided text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. Further documentation would be needed to determine this.

Summary:

This is an open call for Action Grants, with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, focused on providing support for the management of Marine Protected Areas in Gabon. The program is part of the broader Sub-Saharan Africa initiative, specifically targeting the Central Africa region. The call aims to fund projects that are at the management or implementation stage, focusing on environmental conservation and sustainable practices within marine ecosystems. The deadline for submission is April 30, 2026. Applicants need to consult the provided documents, particularly the "LIGNES DIRECTRICES" (guidelines), to understand the specific eligibility criteria, application requirements, and whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. The documents also likely contain information on the application stages and whether co-funding is necessary. The call is managed by the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission.