Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Anne-Sophie Laborieux
Published on 2024-02-21 18:23:15
Between 3 and 5 billion CFA francs: that’s the pharaonic budget planned by the Gabonese government to organize the national dialogue that will outline the future of Gabon. On the airwaves of Radio France Internationale (RFI), on February 21st, Murielle Minkoué Mintsa, Minister of Institutional Reform, discussed the preparations and expectations. Here are the main points of her interview with Sébastien Németh.
Murielle Minkoué Mintsa, in charge of organizing the national dialogue, spoke on RFI about the next steps of the dialogue, highlighting the collection and analysis of citizens’ contributions, as well as the deployment of teams to include various social and professional categories. As the Minister of Institutional Reform organizing these meetings, she explained, “We have teams currently deployed in the interior of the country to collect contributions from students and pupils, as well as from rural and vulnerable populations, such as indigenous populations or others.”
Asked about the selection of participants from the many political parties, Ms. Minkoué Mintsa emphasized the inclusivity of the process, while acknowledging the challenges related to the diversity of participants: “We will come together to think about the future of our country, the future of Gabon in the long term. So, we will have to bring all intelligence together to reflect on something sustainable, very sustainable.”
3 to 5 billion CFA francs budget
Regarding the date and location of the dialogue, she confirmed April 2024 as the deadline, with the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Stadium and the Palace of Sports as the chosen sites. She specified: “Two sites have been selected. These are the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Stadium and the Palace of Sports.”
The budget for the event will range from 3 to 5 billion CFA francs, and Murielle Minkoué Mintsa emphasized the need to find a balance between costs and national priorities: “Any consultation of this nature has a cost. We will also ensure that it is not exorbitant because we also have other priorities, especially in infrastructure. So I refer you to the budget law in which a certain amount is allocated: around 3 to 5 billion CFA francs. Knowing that it is a consultation that will last about a month with compatriots from the diaspora, from neighboring countries… It is a necessary evil for our country, so we will not quibble over the numbers. But we will ensure that it is not exorbitant either. Because we have real challenges to meet the needs of our compatriots.”
Organization and priority themes
When asked about the conduct of the consultation, Murielle Minkoué Mintsa detailed a process involving commissions and sub-commissions, with a final presentation to the president of the meetings: “The transitional president has appointed the Archbishop of Libreville, who has agreed to preside over these meetings, and the work will take place in commissions and sub-commissions. The sub-commissions will report information to the Commission. Each of the commissions will establish its report, and the dialogue bureau will present the final report of the dialogue with the accompanying acts. It is this final document that the president of the meetings, Archbishop Monseigneur Iba-Ba, will present to the transitional authorities.”
The minister in charge of organizing the national dialogue calls for responsible engagement of the participants, emphasizing the importance of this opportunity to shape the future of the country: “They have the opportunity to think for the country, about the future of the country, so I have no doubt that in all responsibility, they will do the work expected by all Gabonese people.”
Addressing the priority themes, she highlighted politics, governance, education, health, and values, affirming that subjects such as the organization of presidential elections will be addressed: “First, there is the political question, because it is a little what led to the salvific act of August 30.”
Character of the resolutions
The minister indicated that it is still premature to determine whether the resolutions of the national dialogue will be binding or not. Discussions are ongoing between the government and the Transition Committee to define the broad outlines and practical modalities of this dialogue. An official act and internal regulations will clarify the status and scope of the resolutions. In any case, the implementation of the decisions of the dialogue will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Institutional Reform with the aim of reforming Gabonese institutions. The dialogue is therefore just one step in this broader reform process.
Murielle Minkoué Mintsa emphasized the difference between this dialogue and previous consultations, highlighting a renewed ambition for Gabon and rejecting any comparison with previous attempts: “Before, at least in the past 3-4 years, these were more formal consultations to endorse the actions in order to assert the ambitions of a few. Really the approach is not at all the same. And the spirit and ambition that we have for our country. In my opinion, it would be inappropriate to compare. Comparing the upcoming national dialogue to what has been done previously, after 1991. We have observed that each time it was to allow a few compatriots to assert their positions.”
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Read the original article(French) on Gabon Review
