USAID Assistance to Gabon

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FACT SHEET

WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-4320

2003-020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 27, 2003

USAID ASSISTANCE TO GABON

BUDGET (in '000s)	FY 2001 (Actual)	FY 2002 (Estimated)	FY 2003 (Request)
Economic Support Fund	$ 0	$ 0	TBD
Democracy and Human Rights Fund	$ 32	$ 33	TBD
Special Self-Help Fund	$ 25	$ 28	TBD
Total	$ 57	$ 61	TBD

Note: USAID has no office in this country, and there is no direct U. S. assistance program. However, the U. S. has a number of regional or worldwide programs, which benefit Gabon. These programs are monitored in USAID/Washington and from the USAID/Benin office in Cotonou.

PROGRAM AREAS

Economic Support Fund (ESF): ESF was established to promote economic and political stability in strategically important regions. ESF is provided on a grant basis and are available for a variety of economic purposes, like infrastructure and development projects. ESF funds are being used for the creation of Ivindo National Park ($500,000), and for additional resource management activities such as more funding for the Central African Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE) grants program for local non-governmental organizations (NGOs). ESF also supports the Global Forest Watch (GFW) network that provides up-to-date concession maps and monitors changes in land use, implemented through CARPE.

Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF): The DHRF grants program provides assistance through indigenous organizations that implement targeted country-level activities in support of human rights and democratic institutions. In Gabon, DHRF activities include a women's NGO resource center and website development, NGO training to fight child trafficking, and HIV/AIDS anti-discrimination video production.

Special Self-Help (SSH) Fund: SSH supports community-based development activities that have an immediate impact. SSH activities in 2002 included the renovation and outfitting of a library and youth center in Franceville, construction and equipping of a manioc processing facility, urban adult computer literacy and job skills training, animal cooperative development, mentoring for troubled youths, and life skills training programs.

Central African Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE): CARPE works to reduce deforestation and encourage bio-diversity in the nine countries comprising the Congo Basin, which includes Gabon. CARPE maintains a field office in Libreville that supports bio-diversity activities at La Lope, Bamba and Minkebe national parks. CARPE's grants include strengthening local non-governmental organizations, conducting education activities focused on turtles, and pilot activities to assess the economic viability of alternatives to bushmeat.

Farmer-to-Farmer Program (FTF): In Gabon and several other countries, USAID is funding a seven-year Winrock International program to help increase food quantity and quality, improve efficiency and environmental sustainability of farming and marketing operations through U.S. volunteers.

Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program: Since 1961 USAID has operated a program to subsidize registered U.S. private voluntary organizations (PVOs) for their ocean freight transportation costs.

Peace Corps Small Project Assistance (SPA) Program: The SPA program is active in 75 countries. The program facilitates local grass-roots efforts by combining Peace Corps Volunteers' knowledge of local conditions with USAID's technical and financial resources. In Gabon, 40 volunteers work in rural community health, environmental action, small business development, and secondary education.

Strategies and Analyses for Growth and Access (SAGA) Project: SAGA provides technical assistance and research grants that strengthen the capacities of national African economic research institutions. SAGA works through the Secretariat for Institutional Strengthening of Economic Research in Africa (SISERA) which is made up of 18 national economic research institutes, including the Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée (LEA) in Gabon.

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The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.

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