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Equatorial Guinea: A country in transformation

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Recently in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

THE first thing that hits you as you disembark at Aeroporto de Malabo, the airport in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, is the stifling heat.
Malabo, which hosted the just ended 23rd African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government Summit, is located on the northern coast of Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Pó) on the rim of a sunken volcano and it is the second largest city in the country.
President Robert Mugabe was among the leaders who attended the summit and the commitment and calls by the leaders to be self-determining as well as ward off imperialist forces was impressive.
The pessimist will be quick to dismiss these calls and describe the gathering as yet another talk-show.
But they will be wrong to do so.
Africa has begun, some might argue slowly, to come into its own.
For ways and examples of development as well as methods for sustainable growth, the continent is beginning not to look far away, but to lands in and around the continent.
The theme for the summit was ‘Agriculture and Food Security’.
Zimbabwe was asked to share its experiences of the Land Reform Programme and agricultural programmes that have seen a huge rise in the production of crops such as tobacco.
The land reform programme has seen women and youths acquire rich productive land.
More than 400 000 black households benefited from the programme.
“This is a backhand acknowledgement that our land reform exercise has been successful,” said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Zimbabwe has achieved to a larger extent, the aspirations that were expressed by many African countries, chiefly the empowerment of women and youths through provision of land and technical skills to be productive.
Heartening is the fact that it is not only Zimbabwe that is on the path of sustainable development, Equatorial Guinea is also on the right path.
Malabo is evidence of what resources of a nation can do when efficiently exploited and development in the capital is being replicated in other towns officials indicated.
Geographically, Equatorial Guinea is located on both the mainland and on Islands.
The country has 300 kilometres (km) of coastline representing almost 400 km in an exclusive economic zone and 350 000 square km of territorial waters that are rich in fish.
The country’s land area consists of 28 000 square km.
But it is not the country’s fish in the Gulf of Guinea which according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), has significant reserves of tuna and catches that can reach 55 000 tonnes per year that is driving development in the country.
It is oil.
Discovered some 10 years ago, the black gold has enabled the construction of not just ordinary buildings, but beautiful eye-catching infrastructure.
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi reckons that at the rate at which development is happening, the country will soon rank with the best.
“At the rate at which development is taking place in a decade or so the country’s cities like Malabo will soon compare with cities in developed nations,” said Mumbengegwi.
The country, a former colony of Spain, was one of the poorest on the continent.
Until recently, most citizens of Equatorial Guinea lived in villages, during the colonial era and after independence in October 12 1968, the country’s small population of about 1,6 million people was engaged in the production of cocoa and coffee.
But this changed in 1995 when its first offshore oil field called Zafiro began production.
Equatorial Guinea is now the largest producer of oil from Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and is the third among all producer countries in Africa.
Reports indicate that proven oil and gas reserves in its territory amount to 1,1 billion barrels and 1,3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas respectively.
And most of the oil revenue is being directed to infrastructure development.
But the reserves, experts say, could be much more as there are many areas of the sea shelf that are yet to be subjected to detailed investigation.
In the short to medium term, the country plans to begin adding value to its resources manufacturing end products such as plastics and paints.
The country exports liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a new LNG plant expected to be commissioned in 2016 is anticipated to make the country the largest supplier of gas to Europe and America.
The massive development work taking place has led to the country being referred to as the ‘pearl of Africa’.
According to the World Bank, Equatorial Guinea’s GDP per capita rose from US$371 in 1995 to US$24 036 in 2012.
GDP per capita is an estimate of how much an individual spends as a consumer compared to the total population spending on products and services.
During the summit, Equatorial Guinea President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo made it clear that the country’s resources and those of the continent must benefit citizens declaring that the “monopoly of colonial power is history”.
The country is now looking for alternative economic activities so as not to solely rely on oil and gas exports.
In the last decade, rich deposits of gold, diamonds, bauxite, tin, tungsten and coltan have been discovered in the provinces of the country.
Like Dubai the country has huge ambitions and plans to become a tourism hub.
“The government’s goal is to make Equatorial Guinea one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world,” said Minister for Culture and Tourism Guillermina Obono.
A network of fantastic highways has been constructed and these are said to connect with the most remote villages throughout the country.
Health care has significantly improved in the country where it is said at one time there was a single doctor and nurse.
The country then was under the leadership of Macias Nguema who was deposed by the current president on August 3 1979.
Health facilities have been constructed and service delivery is said to be one of the best on the continent.
Prenatal care and treatment is one area where the country has been identified as doing well.
A package for the duration of pregnancy is priced at 200 000 Central African Francs, which is about US$400, which is five times cheaper than in South Africa.
Ramshackle buildings might still be evident in Malabo and other towns, but it is definitely not a country of contradictions, but one in transformation.

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