 The iron mine is essentially for Gabon's economic development, but the dam will inundate a large part of the National Park, and have a serious impact on local livelihoods.Old studies indicate that there are other sites on the river where a dam would be easier to build and the environmental and social impacts would be much less than at Kongou, but no Environmental impact assessment was done before the decision was made.The decision put into question the President's strategy of developing ecotourism in Gabon and may well deter investors and tourists alike.