Financial Crime World

Organised Crime Index 2023: Key Findings on Gabon

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Judicial System and Security

Gabon’s judiciary system has several limitations that hinder its effectiveness in combating organized crime.

  • Lack of Specialized Units: There are no specialized judiciary units to counter organized crime, making it challenging for the country to tackle this issue effectively.
  • Trust Issues: The judiciary is not trusted due to a lack of separation of powers and reports of complicity among judicial staff. This mistrust can undermine the legitimacy of the justice system.
  • Limited Professional Capacity: Limited professional capacity results in prosecutorial judges not always investigating cases, which can lead to a backlog of unresolved crimes.

Territorial Integrity

Gabon’s borders are vulnerable to corruption and trafficking activities due to several factors.

  • Free Movement Regulations: Gabon has statutory free movement of persons and goods with its neighboring countries under the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa’s free movement regulations.
  • Closed Borders: The country has closed borders in times of trouble, including during the pandemic. However, this can also create opportunities for smugglers and traffickers to exploit these restrictions.
  • Corruption at Borders: Borders are vulnerable to corruption by customs officers on both sides, facilitating trafficking activities.

Economic and Financial Environment

Gabon’s economic and financial environment is characterized by limited business freedom, corruption, and a lack of transparency.

  • Mechanisms for Money Laundering: Gabon has mechanisms to curb money laundering, but lacks capacity to investigate and prosecute cases effectively.
  • Anti-Corruption Initiatives: Anti-corruption initiatives are often perceived as a political tool for the executive branch to settle scores with dissenting voices in the government or opposition.
  • Limited Business Freedom: Business freedom is limited due to corruption, bureaucracy, lack of transparency, and inconsistency in the enforcement of regulations.

Civil Society and Social Protection

Despite some efforts by national authorities, Gabon’s civil society organizations play a crucial role in addressing organized crime.

  • State-Funded NGO Shelters: There are two state-funded NGO shelters offering services to homeless and orphaned children who are most at risk of trafficking.
  • Identification and Protection of Victims: National authorities have increased efforts to identify and protect victims of human trafficking in the country.
  • Lack of Rehabilitation Programmes: A lack of information on rehabilitation programmes for drug abuse indicates their general absence.

Overall Assessment

Gabon’s institutional capacities to fight organized crime, money laundering, and corruption are limited. The government has taken preventive measures for certain criminal activities, but efforts related to human trafficking have decreased.

  • Institutional Capacity: Gabon’s institutional capacities to fight organized crime, money laundering, and corruption are limited.
  • Preventive Measures: The government has taken preventive measures for certain criminal activities, but efforts related to human trafficking have decreased.
  • Role of Civil Society Organizations: Civil society organizations play a role in the response to organized crime, but the media landscape is restricted, and journalists self-censor due to intimidation.