As Gabon focuses on more sovereign and responsible management of its natural resources, the EITI is organizing a four-day workshop in Libreville aimed at strengthening the capacities of the multi-stakeholder group and structuring the new governance of extractive transparency.
For President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Gabon’s economic sovereignty depends on the reappropriation and local processing of extractive resources. It is with this in mind that, from December 2nd to 5th, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is organizing a capacity-building and consultation workshop in Libreville for the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) and broader stakeholders. This session aims to promote the 2023 EITI Standard and gather input on the progress of the EITI process in Gabon.
The workshop is structured around five axes: the strategic and organizational diagnosis of the EITI; the reorganization of EITI-Gabon (decree 77, statutes, internal regulations, orders); three thematic workshops on resource mobilization, the 2023 Standard and the EITI anti-corruption recommendations; a survey on post-validation information expectations and needs; and finally, the conduct of communication campaigns accessible to the general public to raise awareness among the GMP colleges.
“The time has come for the multi-stakeholder group to review with you, our early partners, the milestones that have marked Gabon’s return to the EITI, from its re-admission to the recent validation ,” declared EITI President Léontine Tania Oyoumi-Loumbou Bibey at the opening. She expressed her conviction that these four days would be crucial for good governance in the extractive sector. This work will support the finalization of the draft decree and improve EITI-Gabon’s documentation.
The contributions of participants are essential for identifying current shortcomings, proposing concrete solutions, and fully aligning with the President of the Republic’s societal project, particularly Pillar 6 dedicated to governance and institutions. The EITI Standard, a global benchmark for transparency in the extractive sector, represents a major lever for strengthening investor confidence, improving the country’s image, and ensuring responsible management of natural resources, noted Ghislain-Firmin Lendoye, Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Accounts.
“ This mission falls squarely within the Ministry’s remit, as defined in the 2025-2032 government action plan ,” he emphasized. Pillar 6, dedicated to governance and macroeconomic management, highlights transparency, the digitalization of services, and institutional modernization. The EITI thus emerges as a strategic instrument for strengthening Gabon’s economic credibility, facilitating access to international financing, improving the business climate, and supporting economic diversification.
“I would like to commend the outstanding results of the Multi-Stakeholder Group, which achieved a score of 73.5/100 in the first validation in 2024 ,” he added. As a reminder, Gabon joined the EITI on October 21, 2021, and implemented the requirements of the 2019 EITI Standard from January 2022 to July 2024.