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Despite Papua New Guinea’s low ranking in the World Bank’s “Doing Business 2015” report, it regularly draws foreign capital in the billion-dollar-a-year range. The country is attractive for a number of reasons. It remains one of the most liberal economies in the developing world, offering national treatment and few restrictions on investment. It is also blessed with abundant natural resources. The country has sizeable deposits of copper, oil, gas and silver, as well as significant tracts of saleable lumber. On the trade side, it is an open market with low tariffs. With one major resource project already completed and another going ahead, PNG has set the right tone to attract investors and has a good pipeline of activity. More major projects could follow, and importantly smaller players and non-resources investors are starting to see the potential of the nation.

This chapter provides an overview of the Gabonese legal system, including the general legal environment and the legal framework for investment, touching on sector-specific incentives in tourism, agriculture and mining, among other areas.

This chapter covers the ins and outs of the Gabonese tax system, covering areas of particular interest to investors, including recent changes, corporate income tax, capital gains and dividends, deductions and depreciation, taxes on wages and VAT, among other topics. In addition, it also includes an interview with Nicolas Balesme, Associate, Deloitte Gabon.

The industry’s potential has garnered attention from the government and private operators, with the state aiming to boost visitor numbers to 100,000 per year by 2020. The majority of visitors come for business, but luxury tourism projects are in the works to diversify the offer. Ecotourism and luxury are two promising segments that could help boost the sector’s contribution to GDP. This chapter includes an interview with Lee White, Managing Director, National Agency for National Parks (Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, ANPN).

While ongoing infrastructure projects are providing a steady supply of work for construction firms, fiscal constraints have led to a reduction in public investment. Access to land remains a key obstacle for real estate development. To address this, the government has introduced reforms to reduce wait times for land titles from as much as 10 years down to 180 days. This chapter includes an interview with Paul Mapessi, Managing Director, Société Nationale du Logement Social (SNLS).

With improvements to the road, rail, shipping and aviation networks a key goal, Gabon’s transport sector is undergoing a major transformation. While population pressure is modest, existing links are limited: the two largest cities, Libreville and Port-Gentil, had, until work began on one recently, no road connection. Beyond improving internal connectivity and expanding capacity at international gateways such as the Port of Owendo and Libreville’s airport, the projects are also part of the Emerging Gabon Strategic Plan, which aims to boost activity in the industrial and services sectors. The government’s focus will bring increasing opportunities for private sector involvement, in part due to budgetary constraints following the drop in oil prices. This chapter includes interviews with Rigobert Ikambouayat Ndeka, Managing Director, Office of Ports and Harbours of Gabon (OPRAG); and Patrick Claes, Managing Director, Setrag.