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Equatorial Guinea Relocates Capital to Ciudad de la Paz
(MENAFN) Equatorial Guinea has officially transferred its capital from Malabo on Bioko Island to Ciudad de la Paz on the mainland, the government's press service confirmed Friday.
Following President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo's signing of a presidential decree mandating the governmental headquarters relocation, authorities cited "the policy of structuring the national territory" and security imperatives as primary motivations.
"The relocation of the nation's capital, from a security standpoint, is a crucial step, given that the government has been the victim of several attacks originating from abroad via maritime routes," the official statement reads.
These incidents reportedly included seaborne assaults, such as bank robberies in Bata in 2007 and an attack on the Presidential Palace in Malabo in 2009. Authorities presented the capital transfer as a strategy to minimize exposure to threats and create a more fortified defensive framework.
Officials additionally characterized the move as symbolic severance from colonial heritage 57 years post-independence. The transition will enable the administration to distance itself from "obsolete colonial structures" that no longer align with Equatorial Guinea's "modernization" goals, according to government representatives.
Malabo, known as Santa Isabel until 1973, was originally founded in 1827 by the British and later came under Spanish control. The city became Equatorial Guinea's capital in 1968 following independence and functioned as the political nucleus for over five decades.
Highlighting geographical benefits, authorities emphasized that the new capital offers superior regional connectivity, with travel duration from any district projected not to exceed three hours.
The nation's leader praised Ciudad de la Paz, which translates as 'City of Peace', as "the ideal option to house the capital."
Capital relocations from coastal to inland locations represent a common pattern among post-colonial African nations. In Tanzania, the capital shifted from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma in 1974. In Nigeria, Lagos was replaced by Abuja in 1991. In Côte d'Ivoire, Yamoussoukro became the political capital in 1983, while Abidjan remained the economic center.
Following President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo's signing of a presidential decree mandating the governmental headquarters relocation, authorities cited "the policy of structuring the national territory" and security imperatives as primary motivations.
"The relocation of the nation's capital, from a security standpoint, is a crucial step, given that the government has been the victim of several attacks originating from abroad via maritime routes," the official statement reads.
These incidents reportedly included seaborne assaults, such as bank robberies in Bata in 2007 and an attack on the Presidential Palace in Malabo in 2009. Authorities presented the capital transfer as a strategy to minimize exposure to threats and create a more fortified defensive framework.
Officials additionally characterized the move as symbolic severance from colonial heritage 57 years post-independence. The transition will enable the administration to distance itself from "obsolete colonial structures" that no longer align with Equatorial Guinea's "modernization" goals, according to government representatives.
Malabo, known as Santa Isabel until 1973, was originally founded in 1827 by the British and later came under Spanish control. The city became Equatorial Guinea's capital in 1968 following independence and functioned as the political nucleus for over five decades.
Highlighting geographical benefits, authorities emphasized that the new capital offers superior regional connectivity, with travel duration from any district projected not to exceed three hours.
The nation's leader praised Ciudad de la Paz, which translates as 'City of Peace', as "the ideal option to house the capital."
Capital relocations from coastal to inland locations represent a common pattern among post-colonial African nations. In Tanzania, the capital shifted from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma in 1974. In Nigeria, Lagos was replaced by Abuja in 1991. In Côte d'Ivoire, Yamoussoukro became the political capital in 1983, while Abidjan remained the economic center.
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