Libreville, 22 May 2025 - By unlocking national funds for the Emergency Community Development Programme (PUDC), Gabon is officially launching this ambitious initiative, which will be implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) across the country’s nine provinces.

The PUDC is the result of the clear vision expressed by H.E. Brice Clotaire OLIGUI NGUEMA, President of the Republic and Head of Government, through his national development plan, “L’Essor vers la félicité” (“The Rise Toward Prosperity”). Led by the Ministry of Planning and Forecasting, the programme aims to reduce regional and social inequalities by improving access to basic services, expanding infrastructure, creating local economic opportunities, and strengthening local governance.

A Strong Signal of National Commitment

Amid global economic challenges, Gabon’s commitment sends a strong message: local development is a national priority. By allocating part of its national budget (120 billion CFA francs, including 66.7 billion already disbursed) to the PUDC, Gabon ranks among the leading contributors to UNDP programmes worldwide, relative to population size.

This strategic choice reflects bold leadership and a firm commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to poverty reduction, gender equality, and access to essential services.

Clear and Priority Areas of Action

With resources now available, the next steps will include conducting a nationwide consultation campaign with local communities to identify priority projects, launching procurement procedures to select implementing companies, and beginning the necessary technical preparations. The first visible on-the-ground activities are expected to start in the coming months, particularly by August 2025, ensuring a well-planned and effective rollout.

Over a 30-month horizon, the PUDC will focus on the following priority areas:

• Rural Infrastructure: Construction or rehabilitation of dirt roads, pathways, and landing stages;
• Access to Basic Social Services: Clean water, electricity, education, and healthcare;
• Local Economic Development: Support for rural entrepreneurship, youth employment, capacity building, agriculture, fishing, and small-scale local industries;
• Local Governance: Support for decentralized planning and local project management;
• Community Engagement: Mobilization of local labor to ensure direct and sustainable impact.

---

Contacts:

Fred Ntoutoume, National Coordinator of the PUDC – Ministry of Planning and Forecasting, fred.ntoutoume2@gmail.com, Tel: +241 076 34 33 40

Boursier Tchibinda, Communications Analyst, UNDP Gabon, boursier.tchibinda@undp.org, Tel: +241 077 16 02 40