🇬🇦GabonCentral Africa
Gabon Senate approves law to restructure National Museum of Arts, Rites, and Traditions
via Gabon Review2 min read
On June 29, 2026, the Gabonese Senate unanimously adopted a bill to create, define the powers of, and organize the National Museum of Arts, Rites, and Traditions of Gabon. This new law, structured into five chapters and ten articles, establishes the National Museum as a public cultural institution, modernizing its legal and institutional framework. The Minister of Culture, Paul Ulrich Kessany Zategwa, defended the text, which replaces Ordinance No. 31/75/PR/SECA of March 8, 1975, deemed outdated. The bill, based on Article 94 of the Constitution and Decree No. 0238/PR of May 16, 2025, aims to align the museum's status with current government requirements. The National Museum, located in Libreville and under the Ministry of Culture, is tasked with the promotion, conservation, and valorization of Gabonese cultural heritage, including rites, traditions, cultures, and artworks, while strengthening protection mechanisms for national heritage assets. The new institutional structure includes a Board of Directors, a Directorate General, and an Accounting Agency. The law also regulates staff and funding, with resources from state allocations, own revenues, partner contributions, and donations, adhering to public accounting rules. This reform aligns with the National Growth and Development Plan championed by the President of the Republic, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, aiming to elevate the visibility of Gabonese arts, rites, and traditions in national cultural policy.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Gabon Review.
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