After renovating the Senate building, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation aims to expand its presence in Gabon's road, rail, and mining sectors.
The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is seeking new contracts in Gabon, building on its current work renovating the Omar Bongo Ondimba palace, which houses the Senate. A delegation from the Chinese group met with the vice-president of the government, Hermann Immongault, to present projects and expertise in infrastructure, particularly in the road, rail, and mining sectors. This move aims to transform the company's existing presence into new contracts, leveraging its experience from other African countries.
Discussions with the government focused on strategic sectors such as road and rail infrastructure, and mineral transport, aligning with Gabon's development ambitions. The Bélinga iron ore project was a key topic, requiring significant infrastructure for development and ore evacuation. CCECC intends to apply its experience in railway and aeronautics to potentially secure roles in future major Gabonese construction projects.
CCECC's strategy extends beyond current projects to identifying new markets as Gabon prepares for substantial infrastructure investments. The company plans further meetings with ministries of Transport, Public Works, Energy, and Mines to explore cooperation possibilities. The ongoing renovation of the Senate building serves as a reference point for CCECC's broader expansion plans in the country.
Why it mattersCCECC's pursuit of new infrastructure contracts in Gabon affects investors by potentially opening up new opportunities in major development projects.
Read in ASJ →The National Mental Health Center in Mélen faces overcrowding due to insufficient beds and a call for increased family involvement in patient care and reintegration.
The National Mental Health Center (CNSM) in Mélen, Libreville, is struggling with its capacity, which has remained at 100 beds since its 1995 establishment. Officials are requesting greater family participation in supporting patients and their return to society. The center is forced to keep patients whose treatment is complete or advanced because they cannot yet return home, reducing bed availability for urgent cases.
This situation highlights broader challenges in Gabon's mental health system, including a lack of specialized facilities, insufficient hospital beds, and a shortage of qualified professionals. While families play a crucial role in recovery and reintegration, their support alone cannot compensate for the existing capacity limitations. The CNSM's appeal also signals a need for public authorities to strengthen infrastructure and training.
In a related effort to manage public safety and patient care, the CNSM has launched a campaign urging the public and facility managers to report individuals with psychiatric disorders wandering in public spaces. A toll-free number, 1324, has been established for these reports, particularly focusing on areas near schools ahead of the academic year's start, following a recent incident where a person with apparent psychiatric issues caused traffic disruption.
Why it mattersThe National Mental Health Center in Mélen is over capacity, impacting its ability to admit new patients and highlighting a systemic need for more resources and family support in mental healthcare.
Read in ASJ →Former minister Frank Nguéma calls for stricter controls and recovery of funds designated for vulnerable populations.
The Court of Accounts has reported a deficit and fines totaling one thousand seven hundred billion CFA francs for the current 2026 fiscal year. Former minister Frank Nguéma expressed alarm at this figure, which represents approximately thirty-one percent of the state's rectified budget and nearly eighty percent of the public investment budget. Nguéma is urging for the full recovery of these diverted public funds and for strengthened oversight mechanisms to protect money intended for the most vulnerable citizens.
Nguéma emphasized that these funds are public money, belonging to taxpayers, and their mismanagement directly impacts citizens. He highlighted that the affected sectors include social security, health evacuations, the Fund for Economically Weak Gabonese, and CNAMGS, all crucial for supporting fragile populations. The former minister stated that behind these financial figures are human lives, affecting families in difficulty, children needing care, and the elderly without resources.
To prevent future occurrences, Nguéma proposed several measures, including the effective recovery of sums owed to the state after definitive judicial decisions, permanent audits of social financing, and accelerating the implementation of a unified national social register. He also advocated for the digitalization of social aid and benefits to improve fund traceability from the state budget to the final beneficiary.
Why it mattersThe recovery of one thousand seven hundred billion CFA francs is crucial for ensuring that funds intended for social security, health evacuations, and aid for economically weak Gabonese reach their intended beneficiaries.
Read in ASJ →The first National Savings for Development Forum aims to leverage household and diaspora funds to boost economic sovereignty.
Gabon's government aims to shift its economic financing model by mobilizing national savings, particularly from households and the diaspora. The first National Savings for Development Forum (FONED), held in Libreville, concluded with officials expressing a strong desire to make these domestic funds a key driver for national development. This initiative is intended to decrease the country's reliance on foreign capital and strengthen its financial independence.
The two-day FONED event, which included six panels, brought together experts, financial sector players, and partners to discuss financial inclusion, infrastructure financing, and national savings mobilization. A significant outcome was the recognition of the need to better understand the expectations of savers, especially those living abroad. A survey conducted among the Gabonese diaspora in France and other countries, as well as via social media, sought to identify conditions that would encourage their investment in national development projects.
Consultations revealed a diaspora eager to contribute to the country's growth, provided secure and attractive investment mechanisms are available. Officials noted that this qualified diaspora is attached to Gabon and largely willing to save there, but requires institutional trust, a fully digital process, and appealing returns on their savings. The FONED seeks to fundamentally change how Gabon's economy is financed.
Why it mattersGabonese savers, both domestic and abroad, are affected by the government's new strategy to use their savings for national development, requiring secure and attractive investment mechanisms.
Read in ASJ →A French national has filed a complaint in Libreville seeking the return of his two children, who remain in Gabon with their Gabonese mother.
Romain Granjon is seeking the return of his two children, aged 16 and 11, to France. The children initially traveled to Gabon for a holiday with their mother, who is of Gabonese origin. Granjon, who was married to the children's mother, has initiated divorce proceedings in France. A French court rejected his request for an exit ban for the children, citing return tickets provided by the mother's lawyer.
The mother brought the three children to Gabon in 2025, and none have returned to France since. A French court granted Granjon exclusive custody of the two younger children. He has now approached the Gabonese justice system to enforce this decision. A hearing is scheduled for September 10 at the Libreville Court of First Instance to address the complex case, which involves an international child abduction complaint based on the Hague Convention.
Granjon's Gabonese lawyer has filed a complaint for illicit international child displacement and immediate restitution. The mother, through her French lawyers, claims psychological trauma within the family in France, affecting her and the children, particularly the younger one with behavioral issues. She asserts she is solely responsible for the children's care and education in Libreville, while Granjon claims she has stable financial resources in Gabon, which she disputes.
Why it mattersTwo children are affected by a custody dispute between their French father and Gabonese mother, with legal proceedings underway in both countries.
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