Professor Albert Ondo Ossa criticizes Gabon's post-coup governance, citing economic decline and poor leadership

Professor Albert Ondo Ossa, an economist and candidate for Alternance 2023, has provided a critical assessment of Gabon's governance following the 2023 coup. In an exclusive interview published on Afrik.com on June 1, 2026, Ondo Ossa presented figures and observations highlighting significant economic and social challenges. He stated that 37% of Gabonese citizens live below the poverty line, public debt stands at 85% of GDP, youth unemployment is at 50%, and inflation exceeds community targets. He emphasized that the cost of living is rising, families are struggling, and businesses are facing difficulties. Ondo Ossa argued that the post-coup transition period, which he believes should have strengthened institutions and restored public trust, has instead perpetuated issues such as a taste for power, diktat, mismanagement, clannism, deceit, and falsehoods. He described these as the same problems that undermined previous governments. He also pointed to Gabon's Fitch CCC- rating as a symptom of declining international confidence, stating that good governance requires a free and impartial justice system, the ability to attract investors, and equitable distribution of national resources. He also raised concerns about the detention of Bilie-By-Nze and the restriction of travel documents for his own wife and daughter, which he views as extreme actions by those in power. Ondo Ossa concluded that despite Gabon being a rich country with a small population of less than 2 million, the une