Gabon said on Monday 19 October that the International Monetary Fund had not validated the conclusions of its debt audit, which remain under its review. The bond document published by the authorities warns that these conclusions may be revised, while Libreville seeks a new financing agreement with the Fund.
The audit had put the country's debt and liabilities at 9,524.6 billion CFA francs as at 31 December 2025, compared with an estimate of 11,685 billion at the time of the IMF mission in March 2026. According to the document, the differences relate mainly to the recognition of certain obligations and the supporting documents needed to justify them. Changes in the accounting scope explain part of the gaps, without reflecting an equivalent decline in the country's economic commitments.
The publication also presents an estimate of payment arrears of 1,198.8 billion CFA francs at the end of June 2026, compared with 1,094.6 billion at the end of December. It breaks this total down into 437.3 billion in external arrears and 761.5 billion in domestic arrears.
This table remains indicative. In the absence of updated data, it carries forward to the end of June 94 billion in VAT refunds and 541 billion in unpaid administrative expenses recorded in December. The actual amount of these two items may therefore be higher or lower than the sums shown, the document says.
Libreville aims for a staff-level agreement with the IMF by the end of 2026, with no guarantee on this timetable. In its statement of 26 September, the Fund announced the continuation of technical discussions on debt, public finances and budget orientations for 2027, to prepare negotiations on a programme.