Gabon, the oil rich central African state, has embarked on a charm offensive to strengthen its trade relations with Kenya and Tanzania as it seeks to sell its expertise on oil and management of natural resources to the region.

In exchange, Gabon hopes to tap into knowledge on wildlife management, expertise in information and communications technology (ICT) and agriculture from the two states.

In an interview with The EastAfrican, Andre William Anguile, Gabon’s ambassador to Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia said the Central African state is weighing the option of setting up an embassy in East Africa’s economic hub.

“Hopefully soon a post will be open in Nairobi, which has economic and political weight in the region,” Mr Anguile said, adding that the plans are currently in the formative stages.

The ambassador is currently based in Addis Ababa, from where he serves Kenya and Tanzania too.

One of the key trade relations will be the exchange of expertise between Gabon and the two East African countries in the area of oil and gas.

Gabon has developed the expertise in the sector, with oil accounting for 81 per cent of its exports and the revenues contributing 46 per cent of the government’s budget.

READ: Kenya, Mauritania, Gabon rated top for oil, gas potential

“We are in a position to advise you because the oil companies in Gabon operate throughout Africa,” Mr Anguile said.

Gabon is half the size of Kenya and has a population of 1.5 million, which is half the size of Nairobi’s population.

Oil wealth has left the Gabonese with one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa, with the estimates set at about $14,000 per person, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Kenya’s and Tanzania’s per capita income are at $1,600 and $1,400 respectively.

Even though oil has been a major source of wealth for Gabon, the country is putting in place a strategic plan to rely less on revenues from the commodity.

Its strategic plan is based on three pillars: Industrial Gabon (building of factories and infrastructure), Gabon Services (develop ICT and banking services) and finally the green Gabon (to develop the green economy and agro forestry).

It is in developing the services industry and Green economy that Gabon hopes to seek expertise from Kenya and Tanzania.

The much talked about Konza City, which has been dubbed Silicon Savannah, because of its ICT potential, is on Gabon’s radar because of the wealth of skills and knowledge that can be obtained and used to develop the services industry, according to Mr Anguile

“Konza City is for the whole of Africa. We can send some trainees to take stock of the whole process,” he said.

READ: Inside Kenya’s ambitious Silicon Savannah dream

On the environmental front Gabon is keen to learn how Kenya and Tanzania have dealt with the poaching menace, especially of elephants for their ivory. Gabon has lost about 11,100 elephants since 2004.

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With East Africa keen on building and rehabilitating its rail tracks, Gabon, which is one of the nations endowed with natural rain forests, is in position to supply timber from the Azobe tree commonly known as “iron wood” because of its density, to help in building of the railway tracks.

As Gabon seeks to spread its influence to the region, its preparing its citizens for cultural integration. Gabon’s civil servants are being encouraged to learn both French and English, the latter being the common language in East Africa.

“People think Gabonese speak only French, but when you go to Gabon you will find young men who can speak the English language very well,” said Mr Anguile.

The ambassador said that during his next visit, his priority would be setting up a meeting with Kenya’s and Tanzania’s business communities to explore areas in which they can collaborate. Areas in which Gabon would like to attract investors from East Africa include agriculture and eco-tourism.

One of the challenges for the business community remains the fact that application for visas require the sending of one’s passport to Addis Abba, where the embassy is based.

Also, with Addis sensing more opportunities from Libreville, Ethiopia’s national carrier Ethiopian Airways has increased the frequency of its flights from four times a week to each day of the week.

This also means that Kenya Airways, Kenya’s national carrier would have to find a way of competing with Ethiopia Airways. KQ currently has three flights in a week.