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    November 21, 2011

Gabon 'Ready' to Co-Host African Nations Cup

   Peter Clottey

   Gabon recently hosted five-time world football champions Brazil to
   officially open the newly constructed stadium in the capital,
   Libreville. Affectionately called 'Stadium de la L'amitie, or the
   friendship stadium, the new arena will host the final match of the
   African cup of Nations in 2012. The matches are scheduled to last three
   weeks.

   Infrastructure

   Gabon is building one other stadium and additional training facilities
   for the tournament it will co-host with neighboring Equatorial Guinea.
   The stadium in the capital, Libreville has a sitting capacity of 40,000
   while the other in Franceville sits 20,000 people.

   An Olympic village in Bongoville, which will house two teams during the
   tournament, is still under construction.

   Critics have questioned why Gabon has not already completed the
   infrastructural projects. The head of the National Agency for Major
   Works, Henri Ohayon, says all of the infrastructural development will
   be 'totally' completed before December.

   'The training stadium is pretty well advanced, but in three weeks it
   will be in operation,' says Ohayon. 'In terms of the stadiums outside
   Libreville, all of them are ready by now and the Franceville stadium
   will be completed totally in November the 27^th or the 29^th.'

   Ohayon says the construction of roads leading to the stadium in
   Libreville and other infrastructural developments had to be suspended
   in preparation for the match between Gabon and Brazil. Ohayon assures
   that project will also be completed by December.

   Theick Aworet manages the technology project of the local organizing
   committee's Logistic and Transport Commission (COCAN.) He says the two
   stadiums, training facilities and the Olympic village will be equipped
   with Wi-Fi systems.

   'We have [a] strong backbone of ICT technology. We have a lot of
   hotspots in the stadiums and a lot of places in this country, in
   Libreville and Franceville,' said Aworet. 'We have two 155 megabytes in
   Libreville and Franceville to help people access the internet here.'

   Aworet says accredited officials at the tournament will have up to two
   hours free Wi-Fi internet access, but will have to pay to use the
   system after the allotted time.

   Economic Benefits

   Ohayon says Gabon has invested an estimated half billion dollars
   ($500,000,000) in pre-tournament preparations.

   'When you decide to host such an event, you are ready willing to invest
   huge capital. You don't make money during the event. It's the long term
   events [that make money],' he said. 'We built hotels and those hotels
   are going to [stop] the shortage that we have been exposed because
   Gabon is increasing its investment and bringing in people from around
   the world to this country to deal on the business side.'

   He also says the Nations cup will be a 'huge benefit' to Gabon for
   years to come.

   Analysts say up to a million people are expected to visit the country
   during the tournament, representing a boom for the country's tourism
   industry.

   Expectations and enthusiasm

   Officials say the Gabonese people have high expectations of the African
   Nations cup. They point to the over 32,000 Gabonese who supported the
   national team during the match with Brazil.

   'They are so proud. They have seen what they have built. And I can
   guarantee that those people are going to talk to their children and
   future generations, about it,' said Ohayon.

   He says his organization will encourage students across the country to
   make good use of the facilities after the tournament.

   'We are going to have concerts, weddings at these facilities. So,
   [many] Gabonese are seeing the benefits with what the president has
   done with his promise to give them something that they should be proud
   off.'

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