The open forum allows anyone not engaged regularly in writing editorials, to publish their ideas. In respect of the right to freedom of thought, the right to freedom of expression and human dignity, it can allow people to address various topics, shed new light on the facts, expose social situations and stimulate public debate. It should be the case for the text entitled "Towards a green and inclusive growth of African economies", published on last 29 of April on the website of Jeune Afrique by Maixent Accrombessi (read http://www.jeuneafrique.com/321886/societe/vers-croissance-verte-inclusive-economies-africaines/). And it will be so.
At first glance, this text aims to highlight the modern and innovative approach of African economies. It intends to include the development of the continent in an attempt to reconcile economic efficiency, the fight against inequality and poverty, land development and environmental preservation. But many concepts are corny and overused in it, many approximations are expressed, many half-truths are pronounced, many incantations are chanted. Is the author talking about natural resources? He establishes no categorization to the point of giving the feeling that he is more interest by the natural capital. Is he speaking of wood? He seems to confuse it with the forest. Is he thinking about biodiversity? In the best case, he assimilates it to biocoenosis, at worst he does not realize its complexity. Is he dealing with energy? He gets entangled and reasons as if clean energy and renewable energy refer to the same reality. Is he referring to national parks, he puts their creation and that of the public institution dedicated to that effect, to 2000 and not to 2002 and 2007, respectively? Is he interested by the span of the national forest? He gives it a surface area well above the 85% that is scientifically recognized and recorded in all official documents. Does he mention the export ban on logs? He refers to the year of the announcement and not to that of its implementation. Does he remember the existence of a law on sustainable development? He is superficial and incantatory on the topic, obscuring all issues related to the articulation of this law with related sectoral legislation, the issues of ecological compensation, of the relevance of the various credits it creates and the consequences of its application with respect to the rights of rural populations.
Green growth is, undoubtedly, a modern seductive notion. It can provide opportunities in terms of human well-being and social equity while ensuring the reproducibility of resources and the reduction of environmental risks. In many ways, Gabon seems to have favorable elements for the experiment. It has, in any case, the natural capital it could take advantage of for this. But this could not be done without structural reforms; the national context is not always conducive to a model change. And for good reason: public policies are not based on clear and coherent choices, legal frameworks are not policy implementation instruments, institutional mechanisms do not meet the recognized requirements, competent human resources are not available in sufficient numbers, and international agreements are, in many instances, not the object transcription into national law.
Doubts and questions
In his text, Maixent Accrombessi does not take a careful look at this inventory. He engages in the small streams effect, voluntarily accumulating fine errors and omissions to support his point or give it consistency. Unless you believe that the logger whose business is to cut timber and the wood industrialist whose business it is to transform this timber, are practicing the same profession, that the abundance of the resource is sufficient to ensure profitability, that the diversification of activities of a company does not require new skills, any rigorous observer would agree that the export ban on logs has not had the desired effect. On the contrary, its social impact has been proven to be disastrous. Unless, without prior investment and therefore by an operation of the Holy Spirit, the country's processing capacity could increase from 1.6 to 3 million m3 per year, it must be recognized that this decision was inappropriate. Unless one ignores the provisions of the law 16/01 on the Forest Code, one is forced to concede that this measure was taken illegally. In addition, it is noted that it had not been included in successive finance laws, nor has it led to a revision of sectorial legislation. Enough to feed all the doubts and raise questions.
A holistic, coherent and articulated vision is necessary for the development of any public policy, especially forest policies. Compliance with international treaty obligations and the establishment of synergies with related sectors are a prerequisite for the efficiency and effectiveness of restrictive measures. However, intoxicated by power, the current majority in Gabon thought it necessary to change forest policy and to impose restrictions upon simple deliberation by the Council of Ministers. In this era of democratic imperative, it should have instead look for attachment to international processes such as FLEGT (Forest Law for enforcement, governance and trade). Such a decision would have resulted in a strengthening of the legality of timber, a greater legibility of traceability and better access to international markets including Europe and America. Moreover, the signing of a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on FLEGT would have been an encouraging sign for investors, including those operating in transformation. No doubt, would investors concerned about their image and their social responsibility, have been attracted? It is permissible to believe it.