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.
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