Gabon’s minister of youth, sports, cultural outreach and arts, Paul Kessany, presented his 100-day performance report on a national broadcast, detailing that 62.3% of his 53 planned projects have been fully completed, while another 24.5% have surpassed 50% execution. Appointed on 2 January 2026, Kessany calmly walked through his sector’s achievements during the democratic accountability exercise.
At a time when the Fifth Republic takes pride in driving a fresh dynamic, some officials have clearly contributed. Among them is Paul Ulrich Kessany Zategwa, who has worked to leave his mark. First, on the youth front, he installed a normalization committee within the National Youth Council of Gabon (CNJG). This regulatory step was just one in a string of accomplishments.
Paul Kessany on the path to the expected renewal
This assessment is easy to make given the early signs in his mandate. In the sports domain, the minister launched a thorough audit that led to the regularization of 13 Olympic federations. That initiative marks the first phase of a broader cleanup of the associative fabric. On infrastructure, the minister set a two-year target to bring the Panthères back to national playing fields.
On the cultural side, notable legislative and technological advances emerged. These include modernising the Gabonese Copyright Office (BUGADA) with the swearing-in of 21 agents and digitising 2,250 works. Paul Ulrich Kessany has laid the groundwork to protect national heritage. The decree of 22 May 2026, which now regulates Iboga exploitation amid international commercial pressure, crowns this effort. His diplomatic success during FEMUA 18 in Abidjan further underscores his management skills.
