Gabon's public diplomacy challenge: telling the story of the Congo Basin to the world

Adrien Wany NKoghe-Mba, President of the Léon Mba Institute, reflects on Gabon's public diplomacy following an encounter at a Parisian environmental event. He met a French environmental activist and elected official who was unaware of the Congo Basin's existence, despite its crucial role as the planet's primary terrestrial carbon sink, spanning six Central African countries, and Gabon's 88% forest cover. This experience led him to question who is effectively communicating Gabon's forest story to the world. Drawing on the work of political scientist Frédéric Charillon, NKoghe-Mba argues that Gabon needs to move beyond institutional speeches and embrace public diplomacy to reach public opinion, researchers, journalists, and philanthropists. He explains that while classical diplomacy engages governments, public diplomacy targets societies, creating a fertile ground for agreements by fostering sympathy, curiosity, and trust. Major powers like the United States, France, and the United Kingdom have long utilized cultural centers, scholarships, and cultural institutions for this purpose. NKoghe-Mba contrasts two scenarios: a Gabonese representative presenting statistics at an international conference versus an exhibition in a Berlin museum that emotionally connects visitors to Gabon's nature. He emphasizes that public diplomacy transforms institutional commitments into personal convictions, leading to tangible actions such as researchers becoming scientific ambassadors, foundations