Gabon - Military Spending

Some people saw budget increases as a way for the established power to protect themselves from the perspective of the 2016 presidential election, which promises to be as hotly contested as risky. "Gabon has no schools to train his children, one university in the capital, the population is very badly treated, administration runs slow because of the ease with which the government appreciates the claims, but we military expenditure has to be the envy of the USSR Leonid Brezhnev". An agreement with France on military cooperation to improve the operational capacity of the Gabonese armed forces was signed on 13 March 2015. A contract for infantry combat units of the Army at the training and preparation of the operational control center (Cecpo), located in the area of maneuvers and Mokékou mounts shooting area Lope, was signed by the Minister of national Defence, and the Ambassador of France in Gabon. The first rotation is planned for June 2016. From 2017, a preparation module to the projection within of peacekeeping operations will be proposed by the Cecpo. The construction of the infrastructure necessary for this ambition is the subject of a partnership between the French elements in Gabon and the defense forces. The center will report to the General Staff of the Gabonese armed forces (EMGFA), said a statement from the defense mission in Gabon.

For 2010-2011, the budget allocated to the Gabonese Ministry of National Defence was 124.736 billion FCFA slightly up compared to the 2009-2010 fiscal year which was 124.001 billion FCFA.

according to a report from the Department of Defense French parliament passed on exports of French weapons, Gabon is 2 e best client of France Saharan Africa and 1 st in the sub central region with 15 billion francs CFA, when, Cameroon represents 6 billion 559.570 CFA francs, and the Democratic Republic of Congo only 348 million FCFA 313.167. While it is true that the weapon order placed by Gabon in 2013 is lower than that of 2011 which maxing out at nearly 31 billion CFA francs to some opinions, the amount of expenditure still remains exorbitant for a countries with more than 90,000 people live on less than 80,000 CFA francs. The fact remains that, according to the report of the Ministry of Defence, the arms export amounts of Gabon from 2009 to 2013 give the country the 5 th place in the top 10 customers of France.

Officers of the Department of National Defence came to realize that the operating budgets or investments allocated to different entities do not always meet the needs for which they were allocated but rather are being misappropriated or opaque management. In an open letter sent to the newspaper "News from the North" November 21, 2012, the staff of National Defence denounced the management system applied by the Secretary General of the ministry. "Really old habits die hard, even in reputable rigorous administrations. Indeed since recently the Department of National Defence as the Minister Pacome Ruffin Ondzounga, assisted by the immovable and stainless R Mangollo alias "Bob Denard," general police army converted in the Republican Guard, applies the principle of double standards in the management (opaque) in operating budgets or investments allocated to the various entities of the Defence Forces" wrote the weekly.

According to staff, the budget line for the purchase of vehicles means for the personal staff of the General Staff of Armed Forces (EMGFA), in 2010, had disappeared from the Treasury services to the Armed located London neighborhood by will of a minister coming out. This earned him his dismissal. He was eventually replaced by the current Minister. Despite this, these budget lines have been renewed in subsequent years, but no effect. "The explanation given by the authorities (explanation by some advisers of inspiration and does not hold water) is, apparently, that the General Staff of the armed forces is not a" body "as are the armies, air, sea, CSP, ALA, DGSSM, CMB, GENA " said the cadres of the General Staff of the armed Forces.

"The Ministry of Defence, which employs several executives from such entities of the defense forces, and are endowed by means of mobility, is there a body? the EMGFA and many other neglected services do they fall under the National Defence? All know that the General Staff of the armed forces, in operations, the command center responsible for the implementation of logistics and mobilization of forces in crisis. The ministry is not a provider of guidelines. Why a double standard? "Questioned the agents that engage the supreme army chief, Ali Bongo Ondimba, who it would seem, would unfortunately not well informed about these negotiations. "The head of state knows better than anyone that can do it all with weapons, except sit on them. A maxim beloved of well repeat his predecessor. So watch the "gap differences" that settle in the defense system" conclude these frameworks as a warned, because it is never prudent.

By 2014 the Department of National Defence seemed to redouble their efforts to equip the national army fleet and rolling stock. Besides the two partnership agreements signed within two months with the French firm for the purposes of minusca, it should be noted those concluded with the company Piriou Naval Services for the purchase of two patrol vessels to enhance maritime security device the purchase of 12 vehicles 4 × 4 Aravis brand, equipped with turrets 20mm remotely operated ARX20, anti-RPG protection system PG-Guard and Nerva recognition minirobots.

According to the World Bank, military expenditures data from SIPRI are derived from the NATO definition, which includes all current and capital expenditures on the armed forces, including peacekeeping forces; defense ministries and other government agencies engaged in defense projects; paramilitary forces, if these are judged to be trained and equipped for military operations; and military space activities. Such expenditures include military and civil personnel, including retirement pensions of military personnel and social services for personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement; military research and development; and military aid (in the military expenditures of the donor country).

Excluded are civil defense and current expenditures for previous military activities, such as for veterans' benefits, demobilization, conversion, and destruction of weapons. This definition cannot be applied for all countries, however, since that would require much more detailed information than is available about what is included in military budgets and off-budget military expenditure items. (For example, military budgets might or might not cover civil defense, reserves and auxiliary forces, police and paramilitary forces, dual-purpose forces such as military and civilian police, military grants in kind, pensions for military personnel, and social security contributions paid by one part of government to another.)