Gabon plans to raise about $2 billion on international markets next year to help finance its budget and refinance maturing debt, underscoring the government’s continued reliance on external borrowing even after a recent audit lowered its estimate of outstanding debt.

Included in the 2027 draft budget is 1.1 trillion CFA francs ($1.9 billion) of external borrowing, alongside 600 billion CFA francs from domestic or regional markets, according to minutes from a cabinet meeting on the presidency’s website.

The move highlights Gabon’s ongoing fiscal challenges and dependence on external financing to manage its debt obligations, despite efforts to reassess its overall debt profile through recent audits.