Gabon again cited by Washington for public enterprise debt transparency issues

Washington emphasizes the need to make public information related to state commitments, including those of major public enterprises. This lack of transparency obscures the true exposure of Gabon's public finances. The report highlights that while 139 governments and one entity were evaluated, only 73 met the requirements, with 14 of the non-compliant countries showing significant progress.

The US Department of State specifically requests that information on the financial obligations of the state, including those of its main public enterprises, be published and regularly updated. This issue is not new, as previous assessments also noted limited public access to debt obligation information, particularly regarding public enterprises. The problem extends beyond sovereign debt to include commitments made by public entities that could directly or indirectly require state guarantees or financial support.

This is crucial for Gabon, where several public enterprises operate in strategic sectors like energy, infrastructure, and extractive industries. Washington also points to insufficient publication conditions for budgetary documents, noting that Gabon did not publish its executive budget proposal or year-end report in a timely manner, and quarterly budget execution reports were deemed limited