In his speech at the opening session, the Gabonese Minister of Economy, Promotion of Investment and Planning, Regis Immongault, encouraged the Belgian economic operators to invest heavily in Gabon and to work together to promote the development of established win-win partnerships. To develop industrial clusters within five (5) priority areas agreed in the national industrialization strategy which are mining, forestry and wood, agriculture, fishing and construction materials.

For his part, the Director General of the Wallon Export Agency and Foreign Investment (AWEX), Dominique Delattre, said that Belgium, particularly Wallonia, has a remarkable number of potential investors who could become the strategic partner of Gabonese businessmen. According to him, the region of Wallonia is rich with a very dense and diversified economic base, with nearly 70,000 private companies. Moreover, statistics amounted to 2000 new companies created each year.

For the head of AWEX, the visit of Belgian businessmen in Gabon was motivated by the performance of the national economy with a sustained GDP growth above the 5% threshold, a regulatory framework and relatively clear and precise legal, stable currency.

These exchange days will close today with the signing of several partnership agreements between Belgian and Gabonese companies and the signing of bilateral economic contracts between Gabon and Belgium to capitalize the business opportunities offered by the Gabon.

Khephren FANGA}