(3) THE JAPAN TIMES TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2010 5 independence day

Vision helps lead emerging Gabon President’s plan for global sustainable development Jean-Christian Obame H.E. Paul Biyoghe Mba, the AMBASSADOR OF GABON TO JAPAN prime minister, a presidential ------election was held in late August Effective resource management Aug. 17 is the day we celebrate 2009, which ultimately resulted is fundamental to realizing the the 50th anniversary of Gabon’s in the victory and the swearing full value of this global interest in independence from in of H.E. Ali Bongo Ondimba our continent and its riches. We France. Indeed, as president of the Gabonese must ensure we manage our it is on that day Republic on Oct. 16, 2009. resources well. We must that H.E. Le´ on The new president, guided by establish the right regulatory M’ba, by then the political manifesto ‘‘Gabon: systems to maximize our prime minister the Future in Confidence’’ on returns and ensure equitable and the first the basis of which he was elect- development. Without president of the ed, has outlined his vision and development, there can be no Gabonese Re- set out priorities for the govern- Anniversary: The official logo History: The then Prime Minister of Gabon Le´ on M’ba (right ) guarantee of security. Where celebrating 50 years of the public, and the ment to make Gabon an emerg- and the High Representative of France Senior Minister Andre´ there is poverty, there will H.E. Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Gabonese Gabonese Republic High Representative of France ing economy in the medium Malraux sign Gabon’s Independence Declaration in Gabon on always be a greater risk of Republic Senior Minister Andre´ Malraux term. These priorities are Aug. 17, 1960. conflict. The need to build signed in Gabon the official doc- framed around three main pil- consolidate relationships with strong institutions of state and to while urging the rest of the world Forest Stewardship Council ument transferring sovereign- lars: Green Gabon, focusing on all willing partners. Critical ductivity. The size of the gov- that ‘‘Gabon has already done develop and maintain to work alongside us in (FSC)-certified, sustainable, ty rights to the young Gabonese the protection of the environ- areas are being prioritized. ernment has been reduced and much to reduce emissions and professional and disciplined recognition of the fact that their managed logging concessions Republic. On this auspicious oc- ment, ecotourism and the di- First, building economic infra- a census has been launched to stabilize forest cover and, security forces is of paramount carbon emissions affect us the than Brazil. Avoiding casion, it gives me again a versification of a sustainable structure is considered to be a with the view to s t r e a m l i n i n g with or without help, we plan to importance. We must avoid the most. African countries host 16 deforestation in my country and great pleasure to address the forestry industry; Industrial key element for boosting pri- the civil service. Moreover, do more.’’ To that end, right af- illegal exploitation of Africa’s percent of the world’s forests. the wider Congo Basin region, readers of The Japan Times Gabon, focusing on locally pro- vate sector-led economic among a series of changes, new ter Copenhagen, Gabon has resources, which inevitably Eighty percent of Gabon is which is the largest carbon sink and convey, on behalf of the cessing raw materials, such as growth, promoting services working hours have been intro- taken further steps in launch- results in a spiral into conflict. made up of tropical rain forests. in the world after the Amazon, President of the Gabonese Re- timber and minerals; Gray Ga- and expanding the small and duced with the implementation ing concrete initiatives at home Africa will be the continent We have designated 11 percent provides one of the most public H.E. Ali Bongo Ondim- bon of value-added services, medium-size enterprises, of a ‘‘continuous working day.’’ as part of its strategy to combat most affected by climate change of this as national parks and a effective means available to ba, the government, and the aimed at providing high-tech among others. Gabon needs all All in all, the president’s plan of climate change. Thus, a Na- and we must do everything in further 3 percent as other minimize carbon emissions and Gabonese people, our best service industries as well as a kinds of infrastructure, includ- action for giving a new impetus tional Council for Climate our power to mitigate its impact protected areas, and have more combat climate change. wishes for peace, good health hub for financial institutions ing in particular paved and to the country and boosting eco- Change has been created and a and prosperity to Their Imperi- and related activities. feeder roads across the coun- nomic growth is on track. Satellite-Image Reception Cen- al Majesties Emperor Akihito Based on these three pillars, try. In this regard, 40 percent of ter of Excellence to monitor and Empress Michiko, as well a government economic and so- the 2010 government budget has Green commitment tropical forest coverage in Cen- mates that are being studied by complementary aspects and the ongoing technical coopera- as to the rest of the Imperial cial program has been been allocated to improving in- By devoting more than 12 per- tral African countries is also be- many researchers, including mutual interests on both sides. tion with the Japanese govern- household. We also wish to ex- launched and is being imple- frastructure, namely the trans- cent of its territory to the cre- ing established. This Earth ob- those from the University of As a reminder, Gabon’s exports ment agencies, namely the Ja- tend our warm greetings to the mented, which is putting em- port facilities, the electricity ation of 13 national parks, a de- servation project is benefiting Kyoto in collaboration with the to Japan include crude oil, pan International Cooperation Japanese government led by phasis on enhancing good gov- and water supplies and infor- cision made by the late Presi- from the technical and finan- Gabonese national institute for manganese, timber and fish, Agency (JICA) and the Over- Prime Minister Naoto Kan, the ernance and diversifying the mation and communication dent Ondimba in cial support of three main part- scientific research and technol- while Japanese exports to Ga- seas Fisheries Cooperation Diet members and the friendly economy away from the domi- technologies (ICTs) for posi- 2002, Gabon has been forcefully ner countries: France, Brazil ogy (CENAREST). bon include, generally, cars, Foundation (OFCF). This ex- people of Japan as a whole. nant oil sector. Thus, agricul- tioning Gabon as a financial implementing a national strat- and Japan. electronics and heavy equip- emplary cooperation, which is In the same vein, our heart- ture is being revitalized for cre- hub in Central Africa. egy for environmental conser- Moreover, ahead of the De- Japan partnership ment. already producing tangible re- felt greetings go to the small ating employment and improv- Second, education and health vation. cember 2010 U.N. Climate 2010 also marks the 42nd anni- Strengthening the partner- sults in maintaining and build- community of fellow Gabonese ing food security while fisheries are also on the top list of priori- The new president has decid- Change Conference to be held in versary of the diplomatic rela- ship through foreign direct in- ing fishing centers in Gabon, compatriots, namely students and aquaculture activities are ties in the government’s pro- ed to build on that strategy with Mexico City, Gabon will orga- tions between Gabon and Ja- vestment from Japan to Gabon should be expanded further to in Japan, as well as to the offi- being modernized. The estab- gram. These two sectors re- the view to further enhancing nize from Sept. 6-8, in Libre- pan. Thus, for more than four could increase trade further. In other sectors. cials and many friends of Ga- lishment of local processing in- quired new direction, invest- the management of Gabon’s ville, an International Confer- decades, our two countries that context, companies such To this end, Gabon is already bon in Indonesia and Malaysia, dustries, namely in the oil, min- ments and partnerships, so as forests and the development of ence on Biodiversity. This con- have managed to forge a suc- as Mitsubishi Petroleum Devel- benefiting from the JICA’s countries that belong to our dip- ing and the timber sectors, is al- to make them more in line with ecotourism. In this regard, at ference will be followed by the cessful friendship and partner- opment Corp. (MPDC), which Young Volunteers Program. lomatic constituency. so being encouraged. In the the economic development re- the Copenhagen summit in De- COP10 Ministerial Conference ship. The strength of the bonds has establish two representa- Currently 25 of those Young vol- forestry sector, a decree ban- quirements of the nation. It is in cember last year Gabon played on the same subject to be held lies on mutual respect and a tive branches in Gabon, is now unteers are working in Gabon Recent developments ning the export of round logs this context that a National Fo- a leading role in the negotiation in Nagoya in October. shared vision of international engaging itself on a larger scale in various fields. Moreover, a Since my last article in The Ja- was issued early this year with rum for Education, R e s e a r c h process of global issues relating Gabon, as a rain forest na- issues, including economic co- of oil exploration and develop- Technical Cooperation Agree- pan Times, Gabon has gone the main objective being to di- and Coherence between Train- to climate change. Indeed, the tion, is endowed with an excep- operation, peace, human rights ment activities. ERAMET-Ja- ment has already been signed through a political transition af- versify forestry activities by ing and Employment was held main message delivered by tionally rich biodiversity that it and the environment. pan is also intensifying its man- by our two countries. This ter the death of President El creating local, dynamic, small- from May 17-18 in Libreville, President Ali Bongo Ondimba is willing to share with the rest Indeed, there are many as- ganese activities in Gabon. Oth- agreement is expected to ex- Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba in and large-scale processing in- which has proposed a program at the said summit was that cli- of humanity. The 13 national sets for establishing a solid er potential partners, such as pand the partnership between June last year. Thus, under the dustries. of action to the government mate change is no longer a fic- parks and other protected partnership with Gabon: first, Sojitz, are also showing keen in- Gabon and Japan through the supervision of the interim pres- In the process of taking Ga- covering the period 2010-2025. tion, that ‘‘all countries have a areas are truly making Gabon a stable political and democrat- terest in investing in Gabon in JICA’s Senior Volunteers pro- ident, H.E. Rose Francine, then bon further, the necessary Reforms have also been in- moral obligation to act.’’ the ‘‘Mecca of nature’’ suitable ic environment created over various fields. gram for development projects president of the Senate, and the steps are being envisaged to at- troduced in the administration Also, as far as Gabon is con- for the development of ecotour- years; second, investment op- In the area of cultural ex- in education, infrastructure, transitional government led by tract foreign investment and to improve efficiency and pro- cerned, the president declared ism. This land has for centuries portunities in several sectors, changes, Gabon highly values agriculture and environment. been heaven for a diversified including mining, oil, gas, tim- fauna, including more than a ber and ecotourism. thousand bird species, the f a - Regarding trade and invest- mous Assala elephants with ment, relationships have over round ears, tree gorillas, chim- the years shown a growing panzees and various other pri- trend, thus confirming their

The Japan Times PUBDATE: 8/17/20010 PAGE: 5 C M Y K OUTPUT TIME: 19:1:41

8/17/1910 / / PT SUP/PG 5/ED 1