Efforts by the two nations are part of a growing trend in African countries, taking an initiative as a response to slow delivery of global climate financing.
A consortium of global shipping associations has expressed concerns over the likely implementation of an autonomous carbon taxation regime by the governments of Djibouti and Gabon.
World Shipping Council (WSC), Bimco, the Asian Shipowners Association (ASA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Intercargo and Intertanko in a letter addressed to the governments of Djibouti and Gabon warned that such measures could disrupt maritime trade and hinder international climate cooperation.
Though the letter sent out in July 2025 has not been released publicly, credible reports by maritime outlets such as Lloyd’s List and trade magazine TradeWinds indicate that the associations are opposed to measures being taken by Gabon and Djibouti, under the African sovereign carbon registry.
Djibouti and Gabon intend to levy fees on passing vessels – either via ports or through their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), in a bid to raise money for climate financing and adaptation.
Efforts by the two nations are part of a growing trend in African countries, taking an initiative as a response to slow delivery of global climate financing.
Through the letter, the shipping associations urged Djibouti and Gabon to instead channel their efforts via the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
A carbon tax, according to homaio.com, is a government-imposed fee on fossil fuels and emissions-generating activities. The tax incentivizes businesses to reduce their carbon footprint by attaching a financial cost to emissions, but fixes no boundaries on the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by the economy.
African finance expert Kanon Nanourou Kone, however, has lauded Gabon and Djibouti’s efforts as an attempt to drive carbon taxation regulations based on African interests.
“For decades, carbon taxation rules have been dictated by major global powers, while African countries often bear the consequences without having a say in the process,” said Kone, an Abidjan-based auditor and finance expert.
Kone further noted in a LinkedIn post that “taking control of our regulations on emissions means no longer passively accepting standards designed without consideration for our local realities.”
Africa, he added, must fiercely defend its competitiveness against new carbon border adjustment mechanisms, besides ensuring that carbon tax revenues fund Africa’s own priorities in green infrastructure and local innovation.
“What if Africa designed its own climate governance model, instead of importing ready-made solutions? This is not just an environmental issue. It’s about economic sovereignty and fairness in global trade relations.”
The World Bank in its State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2025 report noted that carbon pricing can be a powerful tool for advancing multiple policy goals, mobilizing over US$100 billion for public budgets in 2024.
“Over half of power sector emissions are covered by a carbon price, while coverage levels vary across other sectors. Carbon credit supply continued to outstrip demand, moving the global pool of unretired credits to almost 1 billion tons in 2024,” the report reads in part.