The United States established diplomatic relations with Gabon in 1960 following Gabon’s independence from France. Relations between the United States and Gabon are excellent. The United States welcomes the reforms that Gabon is making to bring more transparency and accountability to government, while at the same time urging Gabon to take bold steps to root out corruption and to reform the judiciary and other key institutions to ensure the protection of human rights. The United States applauds Gabon's efforts to increase regional cooperation on environmental issues. Gabon and the United States share a commitment to diversify and strengthen Gabon's economy, expand bilateral trade, ensure security in the Gulf of Guinea, and combat trafficking.

Gabon is a key player in conflict resolution efforts in the Central African region. It provided peacekeepers to the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) peacekeeping mission to stabilize the Central African Republic and continues to do so to the newly established African-Led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (AFISM-CAR). Gabon also hosts and acts as a driving force behind ECCAS, which is establishing a regional standby peacekeeping brigade under the auspices of the African Union’s African Standby Force.