🇬🇦GabonCentral Africa
Former Prime Minister Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze's lawyer provides update on his detention conditions
via Gabon Review2 min read
Former Prime Minister Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, currently detained in Libreville, has been the subject of rumors on social media regarding strict isolation and visitor restrictions. His lawyer, Jean Paul Moumbembé, addressed these concerns on April 24 after visiting his client. Moumbembé stated that Bilie-By-Nze is doing well and is in good spirits, contrary to the alarming information circulating online. The lawyer confirmed that Bilie-By-Nze is not in isolation and has his own cell. He also conveyed a message from his client to his mother, Mrs. Mborantsuo Marie-Madeleine, and his parents, Mr. Boukoubi Faustin and Mr. Nzouba Ndama Guy, assuring them of his well-being. Bilie-By-Nze maintains his innocence regarding the accusations against him. Moumbembé noted that only Bilie-By-Nze's wife is permitted to bring him food, a concession that was difficult to obtain. Bilie-By-Nze, a former presidential candidate and political opponent, was arrested on April 15 following a complaint filed by a former political associate.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 10 countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Gabon Review.
Must ReadOn May 1, 2026, Eritedge and Elyos will officially launch as independent networks, emerging from Ernst & Young's EY withdrawal from nine sub-Saharan Francophone African countries. These new entities aim to combine international standards with local roots to support the sustainable transformation of African economies. This strategic shift, following a ten-month transition, allows for greater autonomy and client proximity while maintaining quality. Eritedge, led by Erik Watremez and Christelle Bouyou, will focus on audit and financial consulting, including account certification, reporting, finance, and risk management. Elyos, headed by Nicolas Chevrinais and Fatima Bangoura, will cover a broader range of consulting services, such as strategy, transformation, transactions, tax, legal, human resources, payroll, compliance, technology, and digital transformation. Both networks inherit over half a century of presence in Gabon and comprise nearly 900 professionals across nine countries. They form an integrated ecosystem supported by a shared services center for IT, training, and quality assurance. This move is intended to establish African excellence as a benchmark in professional services, responding to the evolving demands of African markets for expert, agile, and long-term strategic partners.
Gabon's Minister of Health, Professor Elsa Nkana Joséphine Ayo épouse Bivigou, announced an intensified response to malaria, including a national campaign for the massive distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets by the end of 2026. This announcement was made on World Malaria Day, April 25, 2026. The Minister highlighted that malaria remains a significant public health concern in Gabon, accounting for nearly 38% of hospitalizations among children under five years old. Globally, over 280 million cases and more than 600,000 deaths were recorded in 2024, predominantly in Africa. The Minister emphasized the need to strengthen control strategies due to aggravating factors like climate change, mosquito proliferation, and increasing treatment resistance. She acknowledged the political will of the President of the Republic, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, and stressed the importance of continued investment to achieve the goal of malaria elimination by 2030. Between 2025 and 2026, 14,800 mosquito nets were distributed, and over 100,000 rapid diagnostic tests were made available. Since January 2024, a ministerial decree has mandated biological diagnosis before any pharmacy treatment to combat self-medication and drug resistance. The upcoming national mosquito net distribution campaign will be supported by the Global Fund and led by the First Lady. The 19th World Malaria Day will also feature awareness, screening, and treatment activities across the country, focusing on vulnerable
Gabon's National Scholarship Agency ANBG announced on April 22 the full settlement of a 14.7 billion FCFA debt owed to private universities. This payment addresses outstanding tuition fees for scholarship students, a long-standing issue that has impacted the operations of private higher education institutions. The Director General of the ANBG, Paule Elisabeth Désirée Mboumba Lassy, detailed measures to normalize financial relations between the state and partner institutions. The debt settlement provides financial relief to private universities, which play a significant role in accommodating Gabonese high school graduates, as public university capacity remains strained. The ANBG, under the Ministry of Higher Education, aims to be the sole point of contact for securing financial flows related to national scholarships and prevent future arrears by establishing a predictable and contractual payment schedule. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the transitional authorities and the government that came to power in August 2023 to improve public financial management and good governance. The settlement of debts to private service providers, including in education and health, is crucial for the state's credibility in the domestic market and for improving the business climate. The ANBG also introduced new measures to strengthen control over the actual enrollment of scholarship students, ensuring payments correspond strictly to active students. This addresses past concerns abo
The National Civil Aviation Agency ANAC Gabon recently conducted an inspection mission in Johannesburg, South Africa, targeting two aeronautical training organizations. This operation aimed to assess compliance with current regulatory requirements for the training standards of commercial flight personnel PNC and technical flight personnel PNT. The first phase, on April 13 and 14, focused on Flitedux Aviation Training, an organization specializing in PNC training. The audit was for the renewal of its accreditation, which had expired. Inspectors examined the quality management system, the competence of the supervisory staff, and the application of approved training programs. The internal organization and the role of the training manager were also reviewed. On April 16 and 17, the ANAC Gabon team continued with the evaluation of SIMAERO TRAINING, a structure dedicated to the training of technical flight personnel, with a focus on the CRJ-200 aircraft type. This inspection covered facilities, flight simulators, educational tools, as well as the management of training records and archiving procedures. Both organizations cooperated during the audits. Observations were made and must be addressed within deadlines set by the inspectors. Following this process, Flitedux Aviation Training is expected to receive its accreditation renewal, while SIMAERO TRAINING is anticipated to be certified as an approved training organization ATO, subject to final validation of the reports. Through thi