Business
Equatorial Guinea Attracts Foreign Workers Despite Dictatorship
According to the World Bank statistics, 76 percent of the Equatorial Guinea’s population is poor and 40 percent of rural residents lack water. Many suspect the riches are ending up in the hands of the elite inner circle. International watchdog groups have long criticized President Obiang for being repressive and leaving his country’s people in poverty.
A party leader with the opposition CPDS, Andreas Essono, said the main obstacle is the political system. He said Equatorial Guinea is a dictatorship and freedom of expression is a serious problem and that even Equatorial Guinea State Radio dedicates almost all of its broadcast time to messages from President Obiang and his PDG party.
In a rare meeting with foreign journalists this past February in Malabo, President Obiang said he knows his international reputation, but that will not stop him from opening the country to foreign investment. He said Equatorial Guinea is known as a country which disrespects democratic processes, violates human rights and practices corruption. But he said it is intent on leading Equatorial Guinea to be an emerging economy in the next five years.
Copyright Voice of America 2014
