Khaberni - Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, on Saturday, issued a sudden decree that orders the relocation of the country's capital.
Instead of Malabo - located on the island of Bioko and separated from the mainland - Ciudad de la Paz, located in the heart of the tropical rainforest, is now the capital of Equatorial Guinea, the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa.
The presidential decree stated that the move to the mainland was justified by the need to "reduce concentration and decentralize state functions".
Both Malabo and the coastal city of Bata, which serves as the country's main economic center, have experienced rapid growth.
According to the decree, "uncontrolled growth has brought with it significant challenges in urban planning, pressure on essential services, increased regional disparities, and congestion in transportation and communication networks".
It should be noted that Equatorial Guinea, a small oil-rich country in Central Africa, has been ruled by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for more than 46 years, making him the longest-serving non-royal head of state currently alive.
His son holds the position of Vice President, amid recurrent accusations from human rights organizations of entrenching family rule and restricting political freedoms.
Despite the substantial oil wealth, about 70% of the population, totaling nearly two million people, live in extreme poverty, amidst accusations against the regime and its officials of plundering public resources.
