Russia’s President Vladimir Putin hosted visiting President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in Moscow on Nov. 2. Their meeting is considered a follow-up to the July 27-28 Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg. The Presidents’ discussions centered on their further bilateral development, and cooperation in economy, energy, and security. It had been announced at the St. Petersburg summit that Russia will reopen its embassy in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, “after a 30-year gap,” stated Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in an August interview.
In his remarks at their expanded meeting, President Obiang told Putin: “I also want to thank the Russian government for its decision to reopen its embassy in Equatorial Guinea. I believe that this is a very, very important decision. It will lead to political progress not only in Equatorial Guinea but also in Central Africa, because Central Africa is facing security problems in the Gulf of Guinea. It is a free trade zone and we are subject to terrorist attacks that are financed by our enemies.”
Obiang further said, “I also asked my friend, President Vladimir Putin, to consider granting Equatorial Guinea the chance to host the next Russia-Africa Summit, provided it can be held in Africa.”
After their earlier, hour-long private meeting, Putin told Obiang: “We are one month away from the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. You have proven to be a reliable friend, and we know this well. You have also visited our country many times.
“Mr. President, we have great potential in our relations, and plenty to keep us busy. I do hope that during the expanded meeting, together with our colleagues from the governments of the two countries, we will discuss our ties in their various aspects.”
Obiang visits also in his capacity as the rotating Chairman of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the regional economic bloc uniting Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Whereas trade between Russia and Equatorial Guinea is currently small, prospects for increasing trade with the ECCAS, with its population of 203 million and a combined GDP of $275 billion, are excellent. It is also growing, with 5% GDP growth in 2022. Russia has already stated in its 2023 Foreign Policy Concept that it intends to develop its relations with the various African trade blocs.
