Rho (Milan) - "I have come to Italy only to see Expo, which is a beautiful event. I have not scheduled any institutional meetings," said President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba, who arrived on Thursday morning in Milan to visit Expo, accompanying his country's delegation. The delegation of Gabon is made up of several ministers and special advisors to the president. The country is celebrating its national day on Thursday. The President did not deliver a speech, and assigned the official address to the Economy Minister, Regis Immongault Tatagani, who made an appeal to 'Italian business men and women inviting them to carry out their initiatives in Gabon'. Massimo Cassano, Undersecretary for Labour and Social Policies, welcomed the delegation from Gabon and addressed them on behalf of the Italian government underlining that 'Italy could become a benchmark for Gabon from the enegy and agricultural industries standpoint. Gabon is a country on target to become one of the emerging national economies by 2025'. Expo's theme, 'Feeding the planet, energy for life', has been the focus of the official address of the Economy Minister of Gabon, as 'it is a critical theme - no human life can develop without good nutrition. Food security is of major importance, and a food shortage could create a global catastrophe'. Gabon imports 80 percent of its food products but "has all the assets needed to become a net exporter thanks to sustainable development, to current agricultural policies supported by the government, fishery development in particular," said the Minister. "We must not forget that our country has a huge potential of cultivable land, and such assets as the Atlantic coastline and the mild climate. Gabon has developed a project aimed at a return to the land while enhancing entrepreneurship. The sub-theme of our pavilion is, in fact, food and the good life aimed at preserving our health and wellbeing" added the Minister.
Forests cover 87 percent of Gabon's territory, it has the world's most diversified native flora and fauna, and is part of the Congo basin, the planet's largest green area. The country is one of the major defenders of the environment, combatting global warming. Gabon boasts an extraordinary, well-preserved natural heritage. "Gabon is a green pillar, and its government's vision aims at sustainable development together with a rational raw materials management model, " added Minister Tatagani. Besides being a net importer of food products, Gabon illustrates in its pavilion at Expo an alternative view of nourishing the planet in terms of its contribution via the supply of oxygen. A carbon footprint calculator, inside the Gabon pavilion, shows visitors the amount of oxygen produced in Gabon during the Expo months. (AGI)