Gabon aids Russia with aircraft parts despite sanctions

The ruling military junta in the small nation of Gabon is assisting the Russian Federation in bypassing sanctions imposed for its invasion of Ukraine. Among other items, Gabon sells parts for aircraft to Russia. Last year alone, it delivered parts worth $1.5 billion to Moscow, despite these parts not being manufactured in Gabon.

In 2023, nearly $2 billion worth of sanctioned aircraft parts were exported to Russia, with $1.48 billion coming from the Gabon-registered company Ter Assala Parts.

Gabon, with a population of about 2 million people, is not one of the poorest countries in Africa; however, it does not produce any components needed for aircraft production itself, as noted by PAP.

Nonetheless, the agency reports that the country sells Russia oxygen masks, onboard computers, ground collision warning systems, and fuel level indicators, as well as American used engines for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320/A321 aircraft.

According to "The Moscow Times," a few months ago, the Gabonese company is backed by an unknown citizen of the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan. Ter Assala Parts is likely a front company, registered in another country but conducting business through Gabon.

The export of aircraft parts from Gabon to Russia began in August 2023, the same month the military conducted a coup, overthrowing President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who was replaced by General Brice Oligui Nguema.

The coup also resulted in a loss of favor from Western countries, which Russia capitalized on. Almost immediately, Russia began hoisting the Gabon flag on the masts of its tankers transporting sanctioned oil. Previously, Russia had to remove the flag of another West African country, Liberia, which stopped servicing Russian ships under pressure from the USA.

According to a recent Bloomberg report, the registered gross tonnage (GT) of ships in Gabon increased from just over 1 million in 2022 to 3 million in 2023, and by April 2024 reached 7.4 million GT. This increase reflects the number of ships registered in Gabon; in 2023, there were 126, and by April 2024, there were 217. Nearly all of them serve Russian tankers bypassing sanctions.