IDB Finances Gabonese Projects

Panafrican News Agency (Dakar), 5 April 2001

Libreville, Gabon—The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is financing a number of projects in Gabon, including the building of a new high school in Franceville (south-east of the country).

The State-owned L'Union daily Thursday reported that IDB executive director Zoumana Camara had also been meeting with several Gabonese ministers.

It said that their discussions held, among others, promises of the electrification of the Kango-Bifou road, acquisition of buses for the Gabonese Public Transport Company (SOGATRA), and rehabilitation of provincial airports.

L'Union said emphasis would be placed on development of the private sector through small and medium-scale enterprises that would be provided information, training, funding and counselling.

Gabon's minister of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises Biyoohe Mba, the paper recalled, last year tabled before IDB authorities in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia several requests on the development of SMEs.