In a surprise move, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea issued a decree Saturday, effectively relocating the nation’s capital city. The announcement designates Ciudad de la Paz, situated in the heart of the country’s dense rainforest, as the new capital, replacing Malabo, which is located on the island of Bioko.
The presidential decree cites the need to “alleviate concentration and decentralize state functions” as the primary justification for the shift to the mainland. Both Malabo and Bata, the country’s coastal economic hub, have experienced rapid growth in recent years.
According to the decree, this “uncontrolled growth” has presented significant challenges, including urban planning difficulties, strain on essential services, increased regional disparities, and congestion within transportation and communication networks.
Equatorial Guinea, a small, oil-rich nation in Central Africa, has been under the leadership of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for over 46 years. He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving non-royal head of state currently in power. His son currently serves as Vice President, a situation that has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, who allege the consolidation of dynastic rule and the restriction of political freedoms.
Despite the nation’s substantial oil wealth, approximately 70% of Equatorial Guinea’s nearly two million citizens live in poverty, amid persistent accusations of corruption and the misappropriation of public resources by the ruling regime and its associates.
