The joint Equatorial Guinea-Russia bilateral commission should meet in the short term in Moscow, following telephone contacts between the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs, SIMEÓN OYONO ESONO ANGUE and SERGUEI LAVROV. Russia could also speed up the opening of an embassy in Malabo, a process that has been dragging on. This possibility has been on the table since last year, through a message from the non-resident Russian ambassador ANATOLY BASHKIN, based in Cameroon. Moscow has only a consulate in the country.

The nature of PR TEODORO OBIANG's regime still maintains the “hard core” of cooperation with Russia in the defense sector. It is estimated that in the last five years more than 3,000 African servicemen have been trained in military education institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense, including several dozen servicemen from Malabo. READ MORE