00:00Gabon is set to stop exporting raw manganese by 2029 as part of a national strategy to boost
00:07local industry and reduce dependency on unprocessed resource exports. The government
00:13announced the move as part of efforts to transform its economy. Manganese alongside oil and timber
00:19is one of Gabon's top revenue sources. The country is currently the world's second largest producer
00:25of the mineral. By halting raw exports, Gabon aims to develop its domestic processing capacity,
00:31create skilled jobs and retain more value from its natural resources. Officials have given the
00:37industry three years to invest in local transformation facilities. A public private investment fund is
00:46also being planned to support the transition. In a similar move, the government will ban chicken
00:51meat imports from 2027 to encourage local poultry production.
00:57Despite being one of Africa's wealthiest nations per capita, a significant portion of Gabon's
01:03population continues to live in poverty. The new policies are part of broader reforms aimed
01:08at reducing economic inequality and building a more self-reliant future.
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