Libreville, Friday December 8, 2023 (Infos Gabon) –The Prime Minister, head of government, presented his action plan to Parliament yesterday, with the revival of the economy and the implementation of structural reforms at the forefront.
Political reforms
During his speech yesterday in turn before the National Assembly and the Senate, the Prime Minister, head of government, largely returned to the “Chronogram of the road map”. Raymond Ndong Sima thus indicated that in April 2024 a national dialogue will be organized, followed by the adoption of a new Constitution by referendum at the end of next year. He thus wanted to reassure the deputies and senators of the desire of the transitional authorities to work towards a return to constitutional order. “At the beginning of October, I launched a call for contributions intended to invite all Gabonese people (…) with a view to listing everyone’s diagnoses and proposed solutions to the country’s problems,” said -he emphasized. We will learn from the speaker that thanks to the participatory site “Mbôva”, more than 13,000 citizen contributions have been recorded and will have to be grouped by theme by the end of January 2024. At the end of the debates, a technical commission will be on hand. is working to draft the new Constitution to be adopted by referendum at the end of 2024. This will then be followed by the adoption of new electoral laws and an administrative redistribution of Gabon. Before the organization of local, legislative and presidential elections. All with the aim of avoiding economic and financial sanctions in Gabon.
An encouraging economic and financial report
During his speech, the Prime Minister, head of government, highlighted “the relaunch of discussions with the World Bank Group, the IMF” and the lifting of “the measure suspending disbursements” from the African Development Bank (AfDB). . While welcoming the “first shipments of Belinga iron whose exploitation on an industrial scale could significantly change the economic outlook”.
Justice, education, public service
Beyond the road map, Raymond Ndong Sima also visited other priorities of the transitional government. “The road map notably listed the functioning of justice, the fight against corruption, budgetary transparency, diversification of the economy, protection of the environment, civic education and training of civil servants,” said -he affirmed. But the PM remains hopeful that ongoing efforts, after last October’s symposium, to reform justice will make it possible to effectively fight corruption. “We must hope that the conclusions of this symposium will contribute to a renewal of the habits and practices of our justice,” he indicated.
Budget transparency
At this level, there is a strengthening of mechanisms for revenue collection and expenditure programming with the aim of increasing visibility.
Diversification of the economy which constitutes another important project, is marked by a resumption of dialogue with international donors. Raymond Ndong Sima affirmed on this subject that the first results such as the large-scale exploitation of Bélinga iron are palpable.
Environmental protection, training of civil servants, communication and digital technology will continue to be the subject of government attention.
FIN/INFOSGABON/SM/2023
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