Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LIBREVILLE63
2007-02-01 14:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Libreville
Cable title:  

GABON AS EL DORADO

Tags:  PBTS KTIP PGOV PHSA PHUM SMIG GB 
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FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9559
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0383
RUEHPC/AMEMBASSY LOME 4048
RUEHCO/AMEMBASSY COTONOU 0629
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 1249
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 0250
RUEHOU/AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 0220
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0765
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0862
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0335
UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000063 

SIPDIS

PARIS/LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PBTS KTIP PGOV PHSA PHUM SMIG GB
SUBJECT: GABON AS EL DORADO

UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000063

SIPDIS

PARIS/LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PBTS KTIP PGOV PHSA PHUM SMIG GB
SUBJECT: GABON AS EL DORADO


1. On January 29, 2007, 75 West African immigrants attempting to
enter Gabon illegally were detained by local authorities as they
disembarked from a boat. The group, which included 65 men, 9 women
and one child, were nationals of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Ghana
and Burkina Faso. In an interview with Gabon's daily newspaper
(L'Union),one of the immigrants (from Niger) described Gabon being
viewed throughout West Africa as a land of promise or "El Dorado."


2. According to Lieutenant Herve Chaby-Bion, head of the Gendarmerie
Coast Guard Brigade, illegal immigration to Gabon from West African
countries is alive and well, by land and sea. He estimates, in the
absence of official statistics, that at least one boat per week
enters Gabon's waters with West African immigrants. The size of the
boats, and thus the number of immigrants, varies from small
"pirogues" to commercial vessels. For example, Chaby-Bion recounted
the story of an Asian commercial vessel arriving from Cameroon with
immigrants smuggled in its cargo hold. Most boats, he added,
originate from Oron, Nigeria. The last boat the gendarmerie seized
was in November 2006 and held 48 immigrants.


3. Chaby-Bion stated that the West Africans come to Gabon for
economic reasons. They arrive and do the work Gabonese will not do,
earn higher incomes than they could in their home countries, then
spend the money in their home countries building homes or supporting
family. He stated that despite Gabon's declining oil production,
illegal immigration from West Africa has not slowed in the three
years he has worked at the Gendarmerie Coast Guard Brigade.


4. Comment: In general, West Africans have found success in Gabon
and the Gabonese have accepted them. However, as oil production,
and revenues, decline these immigrants are finding a less and less
welcoming environment. One cabinet minister recently told the
Ambassador that in earlier years many of the immigrants were
physicians, university professors and teachers. Now, the majority
are unskilled day laborers seeking any kind of work - and raising
fear among Gabonese about an increase in crime. Estimates vary, but
there is conjecture that over 20 percent of Gabon's 1.4 million
population may currently be made up of Africans from other
countries.

WALKLEY