Gabon’s human development decline since 2021 raises alarms

After decades of steady advancement, Gabon’s Human Development Index (HDI) has experienced a stark downturn since 2021. The latest National Human Development Report reveals a troubling regression in the country’s progress, shifting from a phase of consolidation to one of structural decline. Following a peak HDI of 0.704 in 2020, the index dropped to 0.693 by 2021, pushing Gabon out of the high human development category and into the medium range. This reversal underscores the fragility of a development model long reliant on oil revenues, which proved insufficiently diversified to withstand economic and health shocks.