Gabon launches 2026 National Human Development Report, focusing on youth as a driver for socio-economic transformation
via Gabon Review7 min read
Gabon officially launched its 2026 National Human Development Report RNDH on July 3, twenty years after the last edition. The report, themed "Youth, employability, entrepreneurship, and human development," aims to position youth as the primary engine for the country's economic, social, and territorial transformation. The ceremony was presided over by Vice-President of the Government Hermann Immongault and attended by Vice-President of the Republic Alexandre Barro Chambrier, Minister of Planning Louise Pierrette Mvono, and UNDP Resident Representative Rokya Ye-Dieng. The RNDH 2026, supported by the Ministry of Planning and the United Nations Development Programme UNDP, serves as a strategic decision-making tool to guide public policies toward more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable development. While Gabon's Human Development Index HDI increased by 46% between 1990 and 2023, placing it 108th globally and first in Central Africa, the report highlights persistent challenges such as high youth unemployment and a 31% decline in gross national income per capita between 1990 and 2022. It also notes disparities in employment access, particularly for young women and populations outside the Estuaire province. Key recommendations include reforming vocational training, strengthening the non-extractive productive sector, localizing employment policies, supporting very small enterprises, and increasing local government involvement in economic development. The report emphasizes that inve
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The Democratic Union of Builders UDB is set to celebrate its first anniversary on July 5, 2026, under the patronage of its Founding President and Party President, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema. Established on July 5, 2025, following the presidential election of April 12, 2025, the party commemorates a year marked by significant electoral victories, progressive national expansion, and a strengthened role under the Fifth Republic. The UDB has achieved a central position in the country's institutions within 12 months of its creation, a rare feat in Gabonese political history. The celebration on July 5, 2026, will begin with an ecumenical mass at 12 PM at the Baie des Rois in Libreville, followed by events in various districts of the capital and at the Cité de la Démocratie. The UDB transitioned from a new political group to a central force in the Fifth Republic, designed to support the vision and public actions of Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema. The party secured a large majority in the National Assembly with over one hundred deputies in the legislative elections of September 27 and October 11, 2025. It also emerged as the leading political force in the senatorial elections of November 8 and 29, 2025, securing 46 seats in the Senate. Beyond electoral successes, the UDB has focused on establishing its presence nationwide through a tour to set up grassroots structures, extending from Libreville to Owendo, Kango, and the interior provinces. This initiative aims to make the UDB present
Must ReadFollowing the declaration of a water emergency on July 1, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema convened a meeting on July 2 with officials from the Suez group and SEEG Société d’énergie et d’eau du Gabon at the Presidential Palace. The meeting, also attended by the French Ambassador to Gabon, Fabrice Mauriès, and the Minister for Universal Access to Water and Energy, focused on accelerating ongoing potable water projects. President Oligui Nguema emphasized that "the time for diagnoses is over" and called for immediate action, efficiency, and tangible results for the population. He pressed partners to expedite project execution to ensure that investments quickly translate into improved water supply. Key projects reviewed included Suez's work at Foulayong to boost water production capacity and SEEG's infrastructure development at Mbomo. The President stated that technical and financial resources have been mobilized, and operators are now expected to deliver results within tight deadlines, especially given the government's water emergency declaration. The collaboration between Suez and SEEG is presented as a partnership based on complementarity, performance, and responsibility, aiming to achieve universal access to potable water, a priority for President Oligui Nguema's development agenda for Gabon.
Must ReadGabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema received an official invitation from Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno to attend the Water Summit in N'Djamena from July 15 to 17. The invitation was delivered by Marcelin Passalé Kanabé, Chad's Minister of Water and Energy. Co-organized by Chad and the World Bank, the high-level meeting aims to mobilize states and partners to address challenges related to water access, financing hydraulic infrastructure, and adapting to climate change. The summit will gather African heads of state, technical and financial partners, and sector experts. For Gabon, participation offers a strategic opportunity to highlight reforms in the water sector, strengthen dialogue with partners like the World Bank, and secure new funding for water and sanitation projects. President Oligui Nguema's acceptance of the invitation underscores Gabon's commitment to regional cooperation and promoting sustainable development initiatives in Africa.