Month: January 2014

Representatives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank are to meet with government representatives in Malabo today. The meeting is expected to include discussions on Equatorial Guinea’s socio-economic progress, as indicated by improvement in the ease of doing business, human resources, health infrastructure and the legal framework for investment.

The delegates from the IMF and the World Bank are also expected to attend next week’s Emerging Equatorial Guinea conference, at which participants will learn more about the government’s plans for economic diversification, as well as the numerous business and investment opportunities the country offers. The event will be held in Malabo from 3 – 4 February. UK companies and individuals interested in investment in Equatorial Guinea’s growing economy are invited to register for the forum by visiting http://www.emergingeg.com.  Further information is available from the embassy.

Read more: http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticia.php?id=4764

Following his return from a series of African Union meetings in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, President Obiang has announced that Equatorial Guinea will host the 23^rd African Union Summit, to be held from 20 – 27 June 2014.

This will be the second time Equatorial Guinea has hosted the AU Summit, with the 2011 Summit held at the Sipopo Conference Centre in Malabo.

Additionally, the President announced that Equatorial Guinea will host the Turkey-Africa Summit in November of this year, bringing together delegates from across the African continent and Turkey.

The country is also set to host the Fourth Arab-African Summit, which will be held in 2016. The Summit brings together leaders and political representatives from across Africa and the Middle East.

Read more: http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticia.php?id=4768

300 registrations have already been received for the Emerging Equatorial Guinea investment conference, which takes place in Malabo from 3 – 4 February. 241 registrants are from international companies, with 59 from Equatoguinean organisations.

Companies from countries including the US, China, Canada, Brazil, the Netherlands, South Africa and Spain will see first-hand the investment opportunities that Equatorial Guinea offers. Attendees will also hear more about the government’s economic diversification plan, known as PEGI 2020.

Final preparations are being made for the Emerging Equatorial Guinea event, which will be held in the Conference Centre in Sipopo, Malabo. UK companies and individuals interested in investment in Equatorial Guinea’s growing economy are invited to register for the forum by visiting http://www.emergingeg.com.  Further information is available from the embassy.

Read more: http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticia.php?id=4756

El Caribe Resort is located five kilometers from the road linking the city of Malabo to the airport. After its renovation, it was opened on the evening of Saturday, January 18 by its director, Yessica Eneme Lima. The event was attended by the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Gaudencio Mohaba Mesu.The opening of this new resort in Malabo began with the priestly blessing, followed by the ribbon cutting by the director Yessica Eneme Lima. The event was also attended, in addition to the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Gaudencio Mohaba Mesu, by the Rector of the National University, Carlos Nzé Nsuga, and the Vice Minister of National Security, Juan Ndong Nguema, among others.

Further reading: http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticia.php?id=4733&lang=en

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea has been elected, with forty other States belonging to the UN, as a member of the Executive Board of the United Nations Body for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) for a period of three years.

In the first session of the meeting, held at the headquarters of the UN and in which the Ambassador-Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the UN was elected as President, took part his counterpart from Equatorial Guinea, Anatolio Ndong Mba, accompanied by the Third Secretary of the Permanent Mission,  Maria Jesus Diallo Besari.

During the meeting, the Executive Board analyzed its Draft Project of Annual Work for 2014, the Report of the Second Regular Session of 2013, held from September 16 to 18 in New York, and its Regulations Project, among other documents.

The Executive Board of UN Women is composed of representatives of 41 Member States, elected for three years by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Further reading: http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticia.php?id=4737

Delegation of Ministers meets with UK businessmen and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London

A delegation of Ministers led by Equatorial Guinea’s Minister for Finance, Marcelino Owono Edu, travelled to London last week to meet with leading UK businessmen and representatives from the Foreign Office.

Minister Owono Edu was accompanied by the Minister for Economy and Planning, Hermes Ela Mifumu, Secretary of State, Cesar Augusto Mba Abogo, and the President of the Technical Committee and Counsellor of the Ministry of Finance, Estanislao Don Malavo.

During a meeting which was attended by around 40 UK Companies, the Ministers introduced the Symposium on Economic Diversification for the Emergence of Equatorial Guinea, which will take place in Malabo in the first week of February.  The Minister for Finance explained his hope that the conference will shape the economic and social development of Equatorial Guinea and reflect the progress made within the framework of the Horizon 2020 development programme.

Senior representatives from the international economic community are expected to attend the conference, with the Ministerial party inviting many UK companies to attend the event.

The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea to the United Kingdom, Her Excellency Mari-Cruz Evuna Andeme who commented:  “The visit of key ministers from Equatorial Guinea is an important step as we work to build closer relationships between our country and the United Kingdom.  We look forward to welcoming British companies to Equatorial Guinea in February and deepening our commercial ties for the benefit of both of our nations.”

The delegation also met with representatives from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to discuss relations between Equatorial Guinea and the UK. During the meeting, agreements were made on developing further cooperation in several areas, particularly in order to promote access to information about Equatorial Guinea and develop a better understanding of the country in the UK.

The government of Equatorial Guinea has been invited to take part in a US-Africa Leaders Summit, to be hosted by the White House from 5 – 6 August 2014. President Obama hopes to welcome leaders from across Africa – including President Obiang of Equatorial Guinea – to the first ever summit of its kind.

The event will aim to strengthen ties between the US and African states, as the world’s largest economy looks to Africa for greater trade, investment and security links. Equatorial Guinea is already known for its strong ties to the US, with several large American companies running successful operations and projects in the country.

Read more: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401220001.html

On Saturday, 18 January, the Lusofonia Games – an international sporting event bringing together 12 Portuguese-speaking countries – began in Goa. Equatorial Guinea is participating in the Games, which opened at the Nehru Stadium in the Indian city of Goa on Saturday.

Over 12,000 spectators watched the opening ceremony, which included speeches from officials, music, a light show and oaths from the participating athletes.

The participating countries in the Games are Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, India, China, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Sri Lanke. Competitions will take place across 9 different sports, including athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, football, judo, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.

The Lusofonia Games are among the largest international multi-sport competitions in the world and are organised by Associação dos Comités Olímpicos de Língua Oficial Portugues (ACOLOP), to strengthen international and linguistic cooperation through sport.

Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Magnifique-show-at-Lusofonia-opening/articleshow/29025534.cms

On the evening of Thursday 9 January, Minister for Finance Marcelino Owono Edu officially launched the preparations for the Emerging Equatorial Guinea conference, which will be held in Malabo from 3 – 4 February 2014.  International investors are invited to attend the unique forum, which will allow them the opportunity to explore the extensive investment opportunities Equatorial Guinea has to offer.

The Minister said that the conference will both reflect and shape the economic and social development of Equatorial Guinea, with the progress of the Horizon 2020 development programme expected to feature highly during the Emerging Equatorial Guinea event.

The conference will include high-level panel discussions, collaborate council sessions and coordinated one-on-one meetings. Participants will be able to talk directly with ministers, shaping policy and identifying key factors for an attractive business climate. This event will provide valuable insights into this dynamic African economy, bringing together top industry and policy leaders to provide advice and discussion on investing in Equatorial Guinea.

For more information, visit http://www.emergingeg.com/

Read more: http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticia.php?id=4681

Equatorial Guinea saw the world’s largest increase in investment in 2013, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), ‘The Best Economies in the World 2013.’ The report notes that Equatorial Guinea’s estimated total investment to GDP ratio is expected to have risen to 61.3% in 2013, ranking the country as having the highest percentage of GDP devoted to investment in the world.

This percentage is in line with the Equatoguinean government’s targets for the Horizon 2020 development programme, which aims to promote investment and economic diversification in the country.

Equatorial Guinea’s overall economic improvement in recent years is thanks not only to greater investment, but also wider economic diversification and increase activity in non-oil sectors. Expectations for the country’s performance in 2014 are high, with recently-released data from the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) suggested that Equatorial Guinea will see economic growth increase by 5.3% in 2014, compared to 2.6% for 2013.

Read more: http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com/noticia.php?id=4669