Ndonga Sima: We want Serbian expertise to return to Gabon

BELGRADE - Gabonese PM Raymond Ndonga Sima said on Monday in Belgrade his country maintained mutual respect with Serbia and that the two countries wanted to respect the traditional relations established during the Yugoslav era.

Ndonga Sima noted that Yugoslav companies such as Belgrade-based Energoprojekt had been involved in construction projects in Africa in the 1970s and noted that he very much appreciated the work they had done.

"We want your expertise to return to Gabon in all domains," he told Serbian PM Milos Vucevic at a joint press conference.

He said Gabon was seeking to cooperate with Serbia in agriculture.

"We are lacking work force and we must get mechanised and deal with the food industry. Our country has a deficit in that industry. The COVID crisis revealed many things we had not thought about before and it is in our interest to start producing food to become less dependent on other countries," he said.

Ndonga Sima said Gabon was relying on its mining and forestry sectors and noted that it would be impacted by any food supply problems.

"Your laboratories can provide us with seeds. We are also interested in technology and we would also like to see the tractors you are manufacturing," he said, adding that Gabon was also interested in cooperation in the IT sector, where he noted Serbia had made major progress.

He also said cooperation could be established between universities and research and development centres as well as in environmental protection.

Commenting on a defence cooperation agreement signed before the press conference, Ndonga Sima said Gabon wanted to boost its capabilities to control cross-border entries to the country.

Vucevic said Serbia stood ready to discuss further cooperation with Gabon as it was a friendly state.

He also said Africa was the "continent of the future" and that Serbia was striving to develop the best possible cooperation with it.