• Gabon signs three cooperation deals during President Oligui Nguema’s Abu Dhabi visit

• Agreements cover gold mining, digital government modernization, and port logistics

• Deals aim to attract investors amid debt, financing, and banking sector challenges

Gabon has signed three memoranda of understanding covering the mining, digital and logistics sectors during a visit by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

The agreements are intended to speed up the country’s economic transformation, create local value and enhance Gabon’s appeal to international investors, the presidency said in a statement on Friday, Feb. 6, 2025.

The mining agreement focuses on the exploration, development and commercialization of gold mining operations in mineral-rich regions of the country.

In the digital sector, Gabon renewed its partnership with Presight, a subsidiary of the G42 group, to support the digital modernization of public administration and key government services through artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and big-data solutions.

The third memorandum provides for strategic cooperation to develop and modernize port infrastructure, improve operational performance and streamline supply chains.

The agreements come as the Central African country faces persistent difficulties in securing sustainable financing, strengthening its banking system and accelerating project delivery.

Gabon remains financially fragile, burdened by weak public-finance management and high debt levels. The country has accumulated arrears to both official and private creditors, undermining investor confidence and limiting access to new funding, particularly from institutional lenders.

Lydie Mobio