Equatorial Guinea

The African Union’s decision to appoint Teodoro Obiang, the long-serving president of Equatorial Guinea, as its next chairperson places pressure on his government to fulfill its obligations to the African Union and other multilateral organisations regarding democracy, human rights, social justice

THE BAD

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Equatorial Guinea’s recalcitrant leader, is a very wealthy man. He has amassed such a fortune that he could only get rid of his bank notes by burning them.

Imagine a tiny country flush with oil money, where the wealth per person is on par with that of Spain or Italy.

On 3 August, few in Equatorial Guinea will have celebrated the 30th anniversary of the coup d’état led by Teodoro Obiang Nguema against Macias Nguema, his uncle and the head of the state. Obiang’s government refers to what happened with these words: