On 11 April 2016, the Council of Ministers of Gabon has adopted five decrees (regulations) related to the implementation of the country's 2013 anti-tobacco act (please see details at: http://apps.who.int/fctc/implementation/database/sites/implementation/files/documents/reports/gabon_annex3_anti_tobacco_act_2013.pdf).

The regulations cover the following areas:

1 - composition and functioning of National Commission for Tobacco Control; the Commission includes a strategic committee; a technical committee; a permanent secretariat of the Commission; and any decentralized entities;

2 - ban of tobacco smoking in all places that are open to the public, including workplaces and public places;

3 - preventing interference of the tobacco industry in health policy;

4 - packaging of tobacco products, requiring that the packaging of cigarettes and cigars for sale in Gabon must display wording such as: "sold in CEMAC" ; "tobacco KILLS"; "prohibited for anyone under 18";

5 - banning tobacco advertising, promotion and tobacco industry sponsorship in the Republic of Gabon with the aim to reduce consumption of tobacco and products to youth and adults.

These measures are based on the recommendations of the needs assessment mission conducted jointly by the Convention Secretariat and the Government of Gabon in June 2013.

The completion of the adoption of these five regulations, a process that have started back in 2014, is a solid signal that demonstrates the sustained commitment of the Government of Gabon for the implementation of the WHO FCTC. The process also benefited from the support of the Convention Secretariat, the WHO country office and the civil society in the country.