In addition to France and Spain, European diplomatic representations have left Malabo. Teodoro Obiang Nguema's relationship with Equatorial Guinea is strained with the European Union.
THEcase of "ill-gotten gains" of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, tried in France, has it sounded the death knell for Equatorial Guinean diplomacy? Surprisingly, the power in Equatorial Guinea sees the European embassies closing one after the other… but not that of France. However, it is between Paris and Malabo that the tension is palpable. Indeed, after the court decision concerning Obiang's ill-gotten gains, Paris had written to Malabo to move its embassy to Avenue Foch. Equatorial Guinea opposed a categorical no to the French request. And if the French justice threatens to seize the building, Equatorial Guinea recalls that the walls belong to it.
The President of Equatorial Guinea is angry with Emmanuel Macron. And made it known, a few days after the reception of the mail, while discussing with the ambassador of France in Malabo, Olivier Brochenin. Obiang would have announced to the diplomat his intention to cut the bridges with his French counterpart and to recall his diplomats present in Paris. According to Jeune Afrique, Obiang would have asked Alassane Ouattara, Denis Sassou N'Guesso and Mahamadou Issoufou to help him put pressure on France. In addition, the Equatorial Guinean ambassador in Paris, Miguel Oyono Ndong Mifumu, touched a word of the will of its president to be firm with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian.
Tensions with Spain
But Equatorial Guinea must deal with other hot issues, in terms of diplomacy: an ambassador of the European Union must arrive in Malabo. Except that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has not yet given the green light to Europe. Philippe Van Damme should therefore not put his bags in Malabo in the coming hours, as the EU hoped. Officially anyway, because the Belgian has actually been physically present in the Equatorial Guinean capital for two months.
It must be said that between the European States and Equatorial Guinea, the cloth has been burning for several days. Berlin closed its embassy last month. And Germany is not alone: the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and even Portugal have decided to no longer have representation there. Of course, Germany, for example, assures us that the move of its diplomatic services from Equatorial Guinea to Cameroon can be explained by logistical reasons. But Equatorial Guinea sees it as an affront.
As Africa Intelligence points out, only two EU member countries still have a diplomatic chancellery in Malabo. Besides France, Spain has retained its diplomats in the region. But like Paris, Madrid has complicated relations with the Equatorial Guinean power. Since the end of last year, two arrest warrants have been issued by the Spanish justice against Candido Nsue Okomo, brother of the First Lady. The exile is accused of having provided bribes to a Spanish commissioner eight years ago.