Libreville: The Ambitious
1 April 2015
Read by 5118 persons
It is a medium-sized African capital, which still offers the pleasure of a weekend walk while witnessing the changes underway in the country. Upon arriving in Libreville, the visitor is first pleasantly surprised by the quality of the welcome at Léon-Mba International Airport. An agent directs you to the right counter, another stamps your passport after the biometric visa is checked by the machine... No time wasted. Head to the city center. There again, from the circular boulevard to the Bord-de-Mer boulevard via the Triomphal boulevard, the roads are perfectly paved, including the secondary roads. Gabon has changed, and Libreville with it.
The city's charming asset is undoubtedly its preserved seaside. People come there on public holidays, alone, with family or friends, some to devour a good book, others to talk politics with their feet in the water. Some use the beach to run, others to improvise a game of pétanque, children to play... To a musical background, people enjoy fish or braised chicken with rice or attiéké, in conviviality and good humor. Far from the atmosphere of gloom so often depicted.
Another strong point on which Libreville relies: its excellent air service, with direct flights from Europe and many major cities on the continent. Thanks to this, the capital has, for several years, positioned itself as one of the main cities on the continent capable of hosting international events. It has recently hosted numerous diplomatic, political and economic meetings, including those of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) or the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), whose headquarters it houses.
The metropolis also wants to become one of the leading African "spots" for international sporting events - a vocation that has been growing since the organization of the African Cup of Nations in 2012, up to the first edition of the Gabon International Marathon, on November 30 and October 1. Credit must be given to the State for having made Libreville a deeply Gabonese agglomeration, but open to Africa and the world. A common-sense political choice in a sub-region where integration is not the most widely shared thing.
While a number of projects have been launched, the capital nevertheless suffers from serious deficits in all areas: housing, office buildings, basic services (water, sanitation, electricity...), cultural and leisure spaces, public transport, etc. These are common problems in most rapidly growing African metropolises, but Libreville, with its "medium" size (approximately 700,000 inhabitants), should have anticipated and mastered them more easily than others.
However, a rare occurrence on the continent: the authorities no longer conceal these difficulties. Better still, they are trying to remedy them. The National Agency for Major Projects has launched major development programs, particularly in Angondjé, in the north of the city, inspired by Entraco and Sherco, two cities built on the outskirts. As early as January, a network of about one hundred buses should begin to alleviate the daily nightmare of Libreville residents. The capital has great ambitions. It has the means.
The city's charming asset is undoubtedly its preserved seaside. People come there on public holidays, alone, with family or friends, some to devour a good book, others to talk politics with their feet in the water. Some use the beach to run, others to improvise a game of pétanque, children to play... To a musical background, people enjoy fish or braised chicken with rice or attiéké, in conviviality and good humor. Far from the atmosphere of gloom so often depicted.
Another strong point on which Libreville relies: its excellent air service, with direct flights from Europe and many major cities on the continent. Thanks to this, the capital has, for several years, positioned itself as one of the main cities on the continent capable of hosting international events. It has recently hosted numerous diplomatic, political and economic meetings, including those of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) or the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), whose headquarters it houses.
The metropolis also wants to become one of the leading African "spots" for international sporting events - a vocation that has been growing since the organization of the African Cup of Nations in 2012, up to the first edition of the Gabon International Marathon, on November 30 and October 1. Credit must be given to the State for having made Libreville a deeply Gabonese agglomeration, but open to Africa and the world. A common-sense political choice in a sub-region where integration is not the most widely shared thing.
While a number of projects have been launched, the capital nevertheless suffers from serious deficits in all areas: housing, office buildings, basic services (water, sanitation, electricity...), cultural and leisure spaces, public transport, etc. These are common problems in most rapidly growing African metropolises, but Libreville, with its "medium" size (approximately 700,000 inhabitants), should have anticipated and mastered them more easily than others.
However, a rare occurrence on the continent: the authorities no longer conceal these difficulties. Better still, they are trying to remedy them. The National Agency for Major Projects has launched major development programs, particularly in Angondjé, in the north of the city, inspired by Entraco and Sherco, two cities built on the outskirts. As early as January, a network of about one hundred buses should begin to alleviate the daily nightmare of Libreville residents. The capital has great ambitions. It has the means.
