Gabon said on Monday that findings from its debt audit were under review by the International Monetary Fund and could be revised, according to a government circular.
It aims to reach a draft agreement with the IMF on a new financing programme by year-end. Gabon requested a programme in March and launched the audit in June to establish the size of its public debt, particularly domestic arrears. Select findings of the audit published in September showed total debt was lower than previously thought.
Monday’s circular showed that total arrears rose to 1,198.8 billion CFA francs ($2.06 billion) by June 2026 from 1,094.6 billion CFA francs at end-2025.
External arrears climbed to 437.3 billion CFA francs ($752,34 million), including 176.7 billion CFA francs owed to China Exim and 92.4 billion CFA francs to multilateral creditors.
Arrears to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, an arm of the World Bank Group, have reappeared after Gabon cleared them in March 2025.
The country also said it is targeting an IMF staff-level agreement for a new financing programme by end-2026. A Fund mission is expected to visit Gabon following talks between the two sides at the Annual Meetings in Bangkok, though no details on timing were given.
“There can be no assurance, however, that an IMF-supported financing programme will be put in place within the expected timeframe,” the circular said.
Gabon’s last IMF programme, an Extended Fund Facility, expired in July 2024 after completing only two reviews.
