President Omar Bongo

Gabon's President Ali Bongo was expected in France on Wednesday for his first trip since he succeeded his father, who made Paris almost a second home as leader of the oil-rich former French colony. Bongo's trip comes less than three weeks after French judges threw out a lawsuit alleging that, under his late father, members of his family bought several luxury Paris properties with embezzled Gabonese public funds. The elder Bongo, Omar Bongo Ondimba, was France's closest ally in Africa throughout his 41-year reign and the key figure in the murky network of trade and political ties known to anti-corruption activists as "FranceAfrique". But ... Read Full Story

International media watchdogs on Friday criticised Gabon's media council for temporarily closing down six newspapers for up to three months on the grounds they had breached professional ethics. "While the climate is already difficult for the Gabonese press -- some journalists complain of pressure and threats -- (this decision) is shameful because it only punishes pluralist forms of expression," said a statement from Reporters Sans Frontieres (Without Borders). Gabon's National Council for Communication (CNC) on Wednesday suspended six independent papers for "violations of the principles of professional conduct and ethics" and warned two others "to respect the regulations." "Gabonese media for the most part ... Read Full Story

Gabon's National Council for Communication (CNC) has suspended six independent newspapers for "violations of the principles of professional conduct and ethics," a CNC statement published Wednesday said. Two other titles were "warned to respect the regulations," according to the statement published in the national daily l'Union. "The Gabonese press unfortunately continues to pass on public rumours pell-mell, showing laziness about investigative journalism," the statement said. "Gabonese media for the most part pass on rumours and become accomplices by amplifying them," the CNC added, singling out the six papers which it suspended on Tuesday. The council also accused these papers of "venturing into ethnic division, ... Read Full Story

Gabon will ban the export of unhewn timber from the beginning of 2010, in line with a decision taken by the cabinet early this month, government and other sources said Thursday. "The measure will be effective. It has been confirmed," a consultant in the ministry of water and forests told AFP, asking not to be named. On November 6, the government of the equatorial African country announced that it would ban the export of undressed wood in order to take advantage of its forest resources and to help tackle unemployment. The long-term aim is to export "finished and semi-finished products with a high added ... Read Full Story

Gabon's new government will put a ceiling on public sector wages, it announced Thursday through the media, in line with new President Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba's pledge to cut public spending. The managing director of a state company will henceforth earn five million CRA francs maximum (7,600 euros / 11,200 dollars) a month, while the chairman of a board of governors will earn 4,500 euros) and a director in a company will earn 3,000 euros, the cabinet ruled. The measure was announced in the daily L'Union after a cabinet meeting. The reported goals were to "boost economic activity" in a climate of "greater and ... Read Full Story