Gabon

Development is sustainable if it helps reduce inequalities. For the past 15 years, AFD has been helping to improve access to quality education and healthcare for Gabon's people.

On the education front, AFD has been actively supporting the improvement of education quality for 18,000 primary and secondary school students since 2016 via the Projet d'investissement dans le secteur éducatif gabonais (PISE - Gabon Education Sector Investment Project), which has so far led to the construction and rehabilitation of 15 local schools in the greater Libreville area. It has also been instrumental in drafting a national policy on school maintenance and another on in-service teacher training, training for more than 300 teaching staff and production of the first statistical reports on education.

On the health front, the Projet d'appui au secteur de la santé (PASS 1 and 2 - Health Sector Support Project) has allowed for 19 health facilities to be upgraded over 15 years, focusing on provinces with the weakest health indicators. These projects have also helped to update medical and managerial practices in line with recognized standards, train more than 400 healthcare workers, design a healthcare human resources management application as well as produce 14 strategic and operational public health documents.

Gabon has an 89% forest cove, with extraordinarily rich biodiversity: It is home to more than half of the continent's forest elephant populations. Its mangroves are breeding grounds for numerous species of birds, fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

Historically, AFD has been active in Gabon to safeguard this heritage through the €60 million Debt Conversion Agreement signed in 2008. Funded projects have fostered forest management, particularly certified forest management, and the timber industry. They have also bolstered Gabon's conservation policy by supporting human-elephant conflict management and knowledge of natural resources in Libreville's nearby parks.

This effort is ongoing, with the aim of striking a balance between economic development, preservation of natural resources and respect for the rights of communities. With financial support from the Central Africa Forest Initiative (CAFI), AFD is providing technical support for the development of a national land use plan and a national forest and natural resources observatory system. These national mechanisms will help curb deforestation and more effectively regulate the expansion of key economic sectors (agriculture, forestry, mining, oil, infrastructure). 

Development also entails production and circulation of resources. Over the years, AFD has supported several road infrastructure projects ( including the Ndjolé-Médoumane highway and the Libreville-Owendo bridge) and is now focusing on rail infrastructure.

Spotlight on the Transgabonais Upgrade Programme: the Transgabonais is an essential rail infrastructure for moving Gabon's resources and opening up the countryside, particularly in the country's third-largest catchment area (Franceville - Moanda - Mounana). The sheer scale of upgrading required calls for a long-term partnership with the AFD Group, which is vital to the success of this operation.

Proparco, AFD Group's private sector subsidiary, is also active in Gabon through flagship projects. In addition to financing SETRAG, Proparco provided corporate financing for the CIMAF cement plant. Indeed, Proparco's added value lies in its ability to offer loans beyond seven years.

AFD has also contributed €270 million in budget support between 2017 and 2022 to sustain reforms undertaken by the Gabonese government under IMF programmes.

In furtherance of sustainable development objectives, AFD also supports projects identified through calls for projects targeting NGOs, such as:

1. Actions de Solidarité Internationale, Reflet, Cœur de femmes and Femme Lève-toi, working on social outreach and socio-professional integration of vulnerable young girls.
2. NADA and NGUDU DIMBU, both actively engaged in conservation, are supported by the Small Initiatives Program, sponsored by FFEM (French Facility for Global Environment) and implemented by IUCN.
3. The partnership with WWF Gabon helps the country to mainstream biodiversity issues.

Furthermore, more than 200 people, some of whom have gone on to senior positions, have received training from the AFD training center, Campus AFD, formerly known as CEFEB.