Gabon Public Expenditure Review : Better Management of Public Finance to Achieve Millennium Development Goals
Although Gabon has witnessed a significant decline in oil production over the last fifteen years, it still generates significant oil revenue which, due to its small population enables the country to have a per capita gross national income that is a...
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| Format: | Policy Note |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
Washington, DC
2014
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/03/16630495/gabon-public-expenditure-review-better-management-public-finance-achieve-millennium-development-goals http://hdl.handle.net/10986/18368 |
| Summary: | Although Gabon has witnessed a
significant decline in oil production over the last fifteen
years, it still generates significant oil revenue which, due
to its small population enables the country to have a per
capita gross national income that is among the highest in
Africa (8643 USD in 2010) and to be classified as an
upper-middle income country. Despite this high level of
wealth, the country is ranked 106th out of 187 countries in
the Human Development Index of the United Nations (0.674 in
2011). Consequently, the major challenge for Gabon remains
the effective use of its oil resources to diversify its
economy, improve its basic social services and
infrastructure, while accumulating financial savings that
will enable the country to avoid sudden and sharp cuts in
public spending once the oil resources have been used up.
The Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (GPRSP) that
covered the period from 2006 to 2008 targeted the reversal
of the downward trend of the main development indicators and
a significant improvement in the living conditions of the
population. It was prepared using a consultative approach,
based on the broad participation of civil society, and
results-oriented, with the ultimate goal of achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It was structured
around four strategy areas: (i) promoting strong,
sustainable, high quality and pro-poor economic growth, (ii)
significantly improving access of the entire population to
basic social services, (iii) improving infrastructure, and
(iv) promoting good governance. The analysis of budgetary
expenditure in the priority sectors during the period
2006-08, shows that this expenditure was far below the
envisaged envelopes. The achievement rates for road programs
fluctuate between 0 percent and 55 percent. This may partly
explain the slow progress towards achieving the millennium
development goals (MDGs). |
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