What about the dialogue between the state and its two partners, Olam and Arise?

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Libreville, Saturday, June 22, 2024 (Infos Gabon) – In a public statement, several Gabonese civil society organizations called for an urgent, frank, constructive and sincere dialogue between the Gabonese State, Olam and GSEZ (Arise) For fifteen years, Gabon has become a real promoter of diversification and a major carrier of foreign direct investment (FDI).

For several days, the weather was gloomy and the atmosphere between the Gabonese government and its two partners, Oran and Gessezi, was toxic. In fact, they have received a certain number of complaints about non-compliance with legal provisions on workers’ rights and environmental protection standards in agricultural and forestry sites.

So many failures can only damage their brand image, while the strikes launched within the aforementioned companies, the day after the liberation coup on August 30, 2023, are said to be nothing more than the voice of the workers. Therefore, the recent withdrawal from civil society is part of the escape from the crisis, with the aim of improving the business environment, fighting unemployment and corruption and preserving existing achievements and jobs.

When the transition authorities called for new foreign investors, voices were heard everywhere asking them not to abandon their two partners, Oran and Aris (Gsez), who in 14 years have become real economic behemoths in Gabon, creating more than 35,000 jobs and making significant investments in the country.

For civil society, the urgency of the dialogue between the State and its partners is confirmed, since the goal is not only to preserve jobs and create other ones in order to more effectively combat the widespread unemployment among young Gabonese, but also to allow the continuation and consolidation of Gabon’s economic diversification policy, which would then encourage other investors.

For Mr. Hervais Omva, an agricultural engineer and coordinator of activities for the NGO IDRC-Africa, if there are flaws, “we should try to understand if these are not the responsibility of the previous government, but there are flaws, they are the responsibility of the previous governments,” he explained. Moreover, he believes that before going after Olam or Arise, “the current government or CTRI must call in the different ministers or players who manage these different files.

Different ministries already have something in place, the same civil servants are still there, the same research managers are still there, they are advisers or general managers. So it is very important that we call these people together, especially because many of them are still in business and have been reappointed by CTRI and some are still advisers to the transition president,” said Mr Hervais Omva.

However, the first manager of the NGO IDRC-Africa said it was important that the Gabonese government sit down with its partners, Olam and Arise, to establish a transparent framework that would allow it to benefit from greater resources and expertise from its partners.

Let’s not forget that Gabon faces a big problem, unemployment, but we have in front of us a partner that is established in about twenty African countries and that creates thousands of jobs in several areas of economic activity. We already have a partnership with us and through this good relationship, we can bring more to the Gabonese government. If there are problems today, I think it’s because someone wants to take advantage of their personal interests.

Again: “I think we are clumsy and the image we convey to the world by attacking Arise installed all over Africa is not good for Gabon. You can’t attract investors and drive away others. It is embarrassing to have the head of state and CTRI in an impasse when we know that Arise is based in Nigeria, Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, etc. As usual, a small group of people try to settle scores left and right, but we have to safeguard the national interest and find appropriate and lasting solutions from it,” he concluded.

It is worth noting that the Olam and Arise groups include: Gsez, with a 38.5% stake held by Gabon and a 61.5% stake held by its partner Arise IIP, Owendo International Port Gabon with a 10.39% stake, 7.61% stake held by Arise IIP and 10% stake (STOA) Infrastructure and Energy. Owendo Mining Port Gabon with a 10.39% stake, Arise IIP with a 79.61% stake and Meridian Fonds Français with a 10% stake; Libreville International Airport, jointly owned by Gabon and Arise IS with 38.5% and 61.6%.

The partnership with the Olam Group resulted in the creation of two agricultural companies: Olam Palm Gabon (oil palm) and Olam Rubber (rubber plantations). The Republic of Gabon holds a 40% stake in each of these companies.

FIN/INFOSGABON/SM/2024

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