The theme chosen for this major event — “Strong enterprises for sustainable growth and shared prosperity” — captured the growth momentum Gabon aims to achieve. The same spirit animated the speeches delivered by participants, from business leaders to former state officials.
Last Saturday, the Palais des congrès de la Cité de la Démocratie hosted the second edition of the Gabon Economic Forum (GEF), organised by the Fédération des entreprises du Gabon (FEG). Discussions focused on the private sector’s role and place within the country’s new economic direction.
FEG president Alain-Claude Kouakoua made a compelling case for a mutual trust partnership with the state, stressing its importance for Gabon’s development and economic competitiveness. Vice-President of the Republic Hugues Alexandre Barro Chambrier acknowledged this need, stating, “Without this trust, nothing can be achieved; investments will not materialise.”
While the previous edition provided an objective assessment of the challenges facing Gabon’s economy, GEF 2026 called for a new leap forward. Kouakoua stressed: “This is all the more essential because a diagnosis, however relevant, only has value if it leads to solutions; because an observation does not improve people’s lives; because a report does not create jobs; because, ultimately, only results matter.”
Barro Chambrier said each party must play its part. He assured that “the state will continue to do its part to create an attractive business environment and to ensure that the cleanup of public finances makes it possible to pay companies on time.”
These statements confirm a fundamental truth: no country has achieved lasting development without strong national enterprises, and no state has created massive employment without private investment and a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem. In short, the enterprise is not a peripheral actor in development — it is the engine.
Speaking with ease on economic and development matters, the vice-president noted that “the private sector must play its role as a driver of economic transformation, wealth creation, and improvement of living conditions” — with government support, of course.
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At the conclusion of the second Gabon Economic Forum, the hope is for an end to mere talk and a real shift to action. While some progress has been made in recent years, it does not hide an obvious truth: the real challenge is no longer about announcements but about execution.
Capital holders do not invest in promises or intentions. They invest in visibility and confidence in institutions, public accountability, regulatory stability, justice, and the collective capacity to honour commitments. “That is why the FEG will continue to advocate for an economic environment based on predictability, legal security, transparency, and respect for commitments,” declared Alain-Claude Kouakoua.
For him, the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opens a new chapter in the continent’s economic history. For Gabonese companies, the question is no longer just producing for the domestic market. It is now about how to produce for Africa, how to conquer new markets, how to integrate into regional value chains, and how to nurture national champions capable of flying Gabon’s flag far beyond its borders.
