Health and Well-being Week
GABONESE BIODIVERSITY: A SOLUTION FOR GLOBAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Gabonese Republic
Gabon, a country with 80% forest cover, is home to over 7,000 plant species spread across 22 million hectares, including 13 national parks. This natural heritage has been used for centuries to heal, nourish, and enhance beauty. Today, these ancestral know-how and practices are being modernized: capsules, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics now offer innovative responses to global health challenges (metabolic diseases, stress, mental health, aging). How can Gabon position itself as a global leader in natural health innovation by showcasing its medicinal plants, nutraceuticals, and natural cosmetics, transformed according to international standards?
Recorded video available
Discussion
- Well-being
- Healthy life expectancy
- Regenerative medicine/cell, therapy/gene therapy
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | To be determined |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Others |
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Track Programme
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Time and
Date of
the event -
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2025.06.29[Sun]
18:00 ~ 20:30
(Venue Open 17:30)
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- Venue
- Theme Weeks Studio
Programme details
*Subtitles: Choose “Subtitles/CC” in the “Settings” (gear
icon) at the bottom right of the YouTube video.
*Subtitles may not show with multiple languages or overlapping
audio.
6:00 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.:
▶Introduction and presentation of the programme (MC) (3
min)
▶Welcome address by Ms Nina ABOUNA, Commissioner General for
Exhibitions in Gabon (5 min)
▶ Speech by Prof. Adrien MOUGOUGOU, Minister of Health (5
min)
6:17 p.m. - 6:22 p.m.:
▶Screening of the film ‘The production of capsules from
psychoactive medicinal plants’ (5 min)
6:30pm – 8pm: Conference: ‘The contribution of psychoactive
medicinal plants to mental health care’
Moderator: Expert from the Ministry of Health (7 min)
Speakers:
▶Presentation by Dr. Yoann MBOUSSOU ‘Use of bark capsules as
an adaptogen for mood, sexual and asthenic disorders’ (15
min);
▶ Video testimony and experience sharing (1 min 30 sec)
▶Presentation by Prof. H-P BOUROBOU BOUROBOU ‘Traditional
Gabonese treatment of drug addiction using plants: 3 clinical
cases’ (15 mins);
▶Video testimony and experience sharing (1 min 30 secs)
▶Testimonial by Ms Wilma SICKOUT ASSELE (10 mins)
▶Presentation by Thai expert (7 min);
▶Q&A (20 min)
▶Summary of discussions by the moderator (10 min)
8:10 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.:
▶Tour of the Gabon Pavilion and networking cocktail reception
at Center Stage Commons C
Reports
【Reflection】
The session “Gabonese Biodiversity: A Solution for Global
Health and Well-being” offered a powerful demonstration of the
potential that Gabon's natural heritage holds in the
field of integrative health. Organised as part of Expo 2025 in
Osaka, this workshop enabled the Gabonese Republic to
highlight its exceptional resources—both natural and human—and
to propose a development model based on the sustainable
valorisation of its medicinal plants, ancestral knowledge, and
innovations in nutraceuticals and cosmetics.
The Minister of Health, Mr. Adrien Mougougou, opened the
session by reaffirming Gabon’s commitment to integrating
traditional and modern approaches within national health
policies. He emphasised that indigenous knowledge is not a
relic of the past but offers viable responses to contemporary
challenges such as metabolic diseases, stress, and ageing.
Microbiologist Dr Yoan Michel Mboussou stressed the importance
of scientific research applied to biodiversity. He
demonstrated how certain endemic species could be sustainably
valorised in environmentally respectful ways, contributing to
sustainable development.
Professor Bourobou Bourobou, a pioneering figure in
traditional medicine in Gabon, made an essential contribution
by underlining that institutional recognition of this
knowledge is a necessary condition for its transmission and
modernisation.
Finally, Ms. Marie Wilma Sickout Assele highlighted the deep
links between mental health, creativity, and natural heritage,
advocating for a holistic approach to well-being.
Overall, the programme moved beyond a utilitarian view of
natural resources, proposing a cultural, scientific, and
economic model in which biodiversity becomes a driver of
cohesion and social innovation. It also initiated a
constructive dialogue between policymakers, scientists,
traditional practitioners, and cultural promoters, laying the
foundations for a strategic repositioning of Gabon as an
African leader in natural health on the global stage.
【Post-Expo Initiatives】
Following this impactful presentation at Expo 2025, the
Gabonese Republic is considering several concrete initiatives
to build on the momentum generated by showcasing its medicinal
biodiversity.
Firstly, the Ministry of Health plans to establish a National
Centre for Innovation in Natural Health, aimed at bringing
together researchers, traditional healers, companies, and
universities to develop standardised products—capsules,
extracts, dermo-cosmetic treatments—complying with
international standards of safety and efficacy.
Secondly, a pilot programme for incubating green health
start-ups is expected to be launched in partnership with
international institutions (WHO, UNIDO, Japanese
universities). This programme will support young Gabonese
entrepreneurs in transforming local knowledge into marketable
innovations for African, Asian, and European markets.
In parallel, a national register of medicinal plants will be
compiled, based on a mapping of the botanical resources found
in Gabon’s 13 national parks. This database will integrate
both traditional knowledge and biomedical research results,
while respecting intellectual property protocols and the
consent of local communities.
On the educational front, Professor Bourobou Bourobou plans to
formalise a university-level programme in traditional medicine
and pharmacognosy in Libreville, in partnership with higher
education institutions in Africa and Japan. This will help
train a new generation of experts capable of bridging
tradition and science.
Finally, a diplomatic initiative is currently being developed
to nominate Gabon’s therapeutic biodiversity for inscription
on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity. Such recognition would enhance the international
legitimacy of the Gabonese model and ensure stronger
protection of indigenous knowledge against biopiracy.
These post-Expo initiatives embody a strategic vision in which
health, ecology, innovation, and cultural sovereignty
converge. Gabon is thus positioning itself not only as a
guardian of rich biodiversity, but also as a key actor in
shaping global solutions for sustainable well-being.
Cast
Speakers
Adrien MOUGOUGOU
Minister of Health of GABON
Born on November 24, 1973, in Mouila, Ngounié
Province, Professor Adrien MOUGOUGOU obtained his
Baccalauréat (Science series D) from Collège Saint
Gabriel in Mouila. He enrolled at the University of
Health
Sciences, where he earned a Doctorate in Medicine in
2004, followed by a Specialized Studies Diploma (DES)
in Urology-Andrology from Cheikh Anta Diop University
(UCAD) in Dakar,
Senegal, in 2013. He later obtained a Master’s degree
(Master 2) in Clinical Research in 2021.
Between 2001 and 2020, he held several positions and
ranks of increasing responsibility: Head of interns at
the University Hospita Center (CHU) of Libreville;
Assistant Clinic Chief in the Department of Surgery
and Surgical Specialties/Urology-Andrology; Assistant
Lecturer in Urology accredited by the African and
Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES), grade
A; and Head of the Teaching Unit in Uro-Nephrology.
In 2022, the urologist surgeon was admitted to the
CAMES Aggregation Examination and achieved the rank of
Associate Professor (Maître de Conférences Agrégé) in
Urology-Andrology.
Professor Adrien MOUGOUGOU, who has held numerous key
responsibilities at the CHU of Libreville from 2004 up
until his appointment to the Government, served as
President Physician in General Surgery; President of
the Medical Commission of the Hospital; Head of the
COVID-19 Response Unit; Coordinator of the
Multipurpose
Operating Room; Head of the Urology Department.
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Dr. Yoan Michel Mboussou
Microbiologist committed to sustainable development
I am Dr. Yoan Michel Mboussou, a medical
microbiologist who is passionate about medicine and
committed to sustainable development. Trained in
medicine in Bordeaux and on Reunion Island, I have
benefited from high-quality training in international
medical standards, while remaining closely connected
to the realities of health and development in Gabon.
My dual French-Gabonese culture has allowed me to
develop a broad vision of health and its challenges,
enabling me to approach the challenges shared by my
two countries with sensitivity and commitment. Upon
returning to Gabon, I founded the Ecolab practice with
the aim of modernising the medical testing sector. My
ambition is to offer accessible, reliable health
services tailored to local needs, while using the
latest technological advances, particularly in the
field of artificial intelligence.
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Prof. BOUROBOU BOUROBOU H.
Pioneer of Traditional Medicine and Botany in Gabon
In the heart of Gabon, a land rich in traditions and
ancestral knowledge, emerges the iconic figure of Dr.
Bourobou Bourobou. A distinguished Professor of Botany
and fervent defender of Traditional Medicine, he
embodies the fusion of ancient wisdom and modern
scientific advances. Holder of a doctorate in Science
from the University of Montpellier II, France, Dr.
Bourobou had the honor of being a student of the
legendary French botanist Francis Hallé.
His career, of immeasurable richness, has seen him
hold the prestigious position of Director General of
the Institute of Pharmacopoeia and Traditional
Medicine (IPHAMETRA), where he tirelessly worked to
advance medical research in harmony with the
principles of Traditional Medicine. An
ethnopharmacologist and Traditional Healer trained in
the renowned institutions of Metz and in Gabon,
Professor Bourobou has dedicated nearly two decades to
the practice of holistic medicine. A specialist in
phytotherapy, he has placed his expertise at the
service of well-being, offering innovative traditional
remedies to treat ailments such as diabetes, stomach
pain, anemia, and sickle cell disease.
His brilliance does not stop there. As the inventor of
Improved Traditional Medicines (ITMs), Professor
Bourobou collaborates with Dr. Yoan Mboussou within
the Tradishop Laboratory, where together, they have
developed innovative herbal medicines such as Modji
(Ekouk) and Mayay (Iboga), both of which have been
approved with Marketing Authorization (AMM).
Recognized for his outstanding contribution to the
academic world, Professor Bourobou was honored by the
International Order of Academic Palms of CAMES,
receiving the title of Knight, a mark of his
unwavering commitment to education and research. As a
researcher affiliated with CENAREST and a lecturer at
several prestigious universities in Gabon — including
UOB, USS, USTM, and AUM — he continues to inspire and
train future generations.
Dr. Bourobou Bourobou is not merely a practitioner of
Traditional Medicine; he is a pioneer, a visionary
shaping the future of medicine by drawing upon the
deep roots of Gabonese tradition.
His life and work are a brilliant testament to the
power of traditional knowledge, blended with
scientific innovation, to build a future where health
and cultural heritage walk hand in hand.
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Marie Wilma SICKOUT ASSELE
Gabonese figure committed to the promotion of mental health and the arts
Marie Wilma Sickout Asselé is a Gabonese figure
committed to the promotion of mental health and the
arts. Born on November 21, 1974, in Libreville, she
grew up in a large family marked by hardship. From an
early age, she developed a passion for the arts,
turning toward design and interior decoration. A
self-taught artist, she pursued artistic training in
Paris at Quai de Jemmapes for a year and a half.
Her life took a dramatic turn when she went through a
severe seven-year depression, triggered by
professional and personal difficulties, including a
divorce and financial issues linked to a government
contract that was not honored by the Gabonese state.
This ordeal led her to isolate herself, but she found
essential support in her children, her passion for
art, and her faith. She considers healing to be a
continuous process, emphasizing the importance of
being able to speak about one’s suffering and help
others.
In 2020, she published her first book, In the Name of
Life…,an autobiographical account in which she shares
her experience with depression. The book aims to raise
awareness among African audiences about the reality of
depression, which remains a taboo subject on the
continent.
At the same time, she founded the Gertrude François
Foundation, dedicated to supporting individuals
suffering from mental health disorders. The foundation
launched the project “A New Life”, which seeks to
provide assistance to psychiatric patients, though the
project has faced obstacles despite an agreement
signed with the Gabonese Ministry of Health.
As a promoter of Kay-Anne Gallery in Libreville, she
works to promote African art by showcasing works by
local and pan-African artists. She describes herself
as a "citizen of 54 countries" and advocates
for a united Africa that takes pride in its cultural
diversity.
Through her initiatives, Marie Wilma Sickout Asselé
embodies resilience and commitment, using her personal
experience to bring about positive change in Gabonese
society and beyond.
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Armel Boubindji
Director of Health Promotion at the Ministry of Health, Gabon
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Health and Well-being Week
GABONESE BIODIVERSITY: A SOLUTION FOR GLOBAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Gabon, a country with 80% forest cover, is home to over 7,000 plant species spread across 22 million hectares, including 13 national parks. This natural heritage has been used for centuries to heal, nourish, and enhance beauty. Today, these ancestral know-how and practices are being modernized: capsules, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics now offer innovative responses to global health challenges (metabolic diseases, stress, mental health, aging). How can Gabon position itself as a global leader in natural health innovation by showcasing its medicinal plants, nutraceuticals, and natural cosmetics, transformed according to international standards?
-
2025.06.29[Sun]
18:00~20:30
(Venue Open 17:30)
- Theme Weeks Studio
OTHER PROGRAM
Health and Well-being Week
