Equatorial Guinea President anxious over rising insecurity

President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea says the rising insecurity in the region is worrying.

He said this during the Extraordinary Summit of CEMAC Heads of State.

In his speech, Mbasogo said the security challenges facing the sub-region is caused by the growing threat of transnational organized crime that manifests itself in the form of terrorist activity, armed groups and insurgents, in addition to piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

He said this poses a threat to stability in the CEMAC area.

He said that the sub-region must fight in solidarity against all these phenomena that pose a threat to internal peace and security.

Indeed, the security situation in Africa causes great concern to the African and international community, as the violence has upsurge recently.

Non-state terrorist groups and militias, have increasingly targeted civilians in their campaigns of terror.

According to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), in 2015 there were 381 attacks targeting civilians in Africa resulting in 1,394 fatalities.

This number rose sharply throughout the years and by 2020 there were 7,108 attacks targeting civilians resulting in 12,519 fatalities.

John-Allan Namu, a specialist on West and Central Africa, confirms that at present, the most serious of all Africa’s problems is the wave of brutal terrorism, which has spread to Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and other African countries, which is clearly demonstrated by the worsening security situation in Africa.

He said the simultaneous acquisition of weapons and oil by Islamist fighters gives them an advantage over security forces.

Resulting from instability can prevent the establishment of regional order.

According to Namu, security threats are increasing even in the most affluent African countries, including the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, where oil reserves are high and security is fragile.

The country’s strained relations with France and the United Kingdom, which have imposed anti-corruption sanctions on Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue for corruption and embezzlement of public funds, reduces the chances of military assistance from the West if the insurgents rush into the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

Thus, the government has no other options, but to turn to their African partner or find another mighty global player with experience in counter-terrorism operations.

Analysts and researcher agree that the global West has failed all the peacekeeping initiatives they started: French troops are leaving Sahel, while Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb keeps murdering civilians in dozens; the US flee Afghanistan, letting the Taliban shoot innocent people right in the streets of Kabul.

Africa is a tinderbox waiting to explode. If the terrorist groups reach Equatorial Guinea and lay hands on the natural resources of one of the richest countries in Africa, they will have all the means to expand throughout a continent.