Gabon’s civil service reform: balancing performance with fairness

The government’s decision to abolish automatic seniority-based promotions in the civil service marks a significant policy shift. By replacing time-served progression with performance-driven criteria, officials aim to address long-standing inefficiencies. Yet the move has sparked intense national debate, pitting fiscal responsibility against social stability and the risk of deepening public-sector discontent.

By Daniel Mbami — Politics and Security