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Equatorial Guinea
Country Overview
Politics
Equatorial Guinea is a presidential republic. The president, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been in power since October 1979 after being reelected in 2016. His party holds complete executive power.1 The elections were largely boycotted by opposition parties.2 According to Human Rights Watch, there is significant evidence of “mismanagement of public funds...high level corruption…torture, arbitrary detention and unfair trials.”3
Economy
Equatorial Guinea is classified as an upper middle‐income economy by the World Bank.4 However, GDP
growth in 2015 was ‐8.3 percent. Since the 1990s, the largest sector of the economy has consistently
been petroleum. Gold, oil, uranium and diamonds are other important contributors to GDP.5
Social/Human Development
According to Human Rights Watch, Equatorial Guinea has “by far the world’s largest gap between per
capita wealth and human development score.”6 The Human Development Index score for Equatorial
Guinea for 2016 was 0.592, and the country ranked 135 out of 188 countries.7 As of 2006, the poverty
headcount ratio was 76.8 percent.8
Approximately 85.7 percent of the population of Equatorial Guinea are part of the Fang ethnic group.
Other ethnic groups within the country include the Bubi (6.5 percent), Mdowe (3.6 percent), Annobon
(1.6 percent), and Bujeba (1.1 percent). Most of the population is nominally Christian, predominately
Roman Catholic.9
2
U.S. Department of State TIP Report Summary (2017)
U.S. Department of State TIP Ranking: Tier 3
The U.S. Department of State reports that the oil sector is linked to a demand for sex trafficking and
trafficked domestic work. Staff of sub‐contractors in the oil industry and related construction sectors are
reportedly vulnerable to indicators of labor trafficking. Trafficking and trafficking risk is present in the
construction sector.
Read the full TIP Report at: https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/countries/2017/271183.htm
Migrant and Other Vulnerable Populations
Equatorial Guinea has negative net migration. The International Organization on Migration estimates
that over 81,000 people migrated from the country in 2015. Approximately 56,000 Guineans emigrated
to Gabon and just under 20,000 Guineans emigrated to Spain in 2015. The immigrant population of
Equatorial Guinea was estimated to be 10,825, or 1.28 percent of the total resident population. The top
migrant‐sending country is France. Other migrant source countries included Sao Tome and Principe,
Spain, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Gabon.10
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) does not have data for vulnerable
populations like internally‐displaced persons and stateless persons within Equatorial Guinea. The U.S.
Department of State reports that some foreigners complained of being detained and deported without
knowledge of their charges, and there exists no system for providing protection to refugees.11
3
4
5
Exports and Trade
The top exports for Equatorial Guinea are mineral fuels and oils, organic chemicals, and wood. All
exports of mineral fuels and oil are of petroleum oils and gases.12
The top importers of all goods from Equatorial Guinea are China, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and
Brazil.13
6
Equatorial Guinea was the 107th largest supplier of goods to the United States in 2014, exporting a total
of USD 255 million worth of goods. Mineral fuel was the most significant import.14
7
Trafficking in Persons Risk Factors Analysis
Legal/Policy Risk Factors
Level of Legal Protection for Civil Liberties and Workers’ Rights
Freedom of Association
The right to Freedom of Association is protected by law but severely restricted in practice. Although the
law provides workers the right to establish unions, it also requires a union to have 50 members from a
workplace to register, which effectively blocks union formation.15 As of 2016, there was only one
functioning union.16 The right to strike was affirmatively protected by legislation.17
Working Conditions
The monthly minimum wage varies by occupation from CFA 129,035 (USD 233) to CFA 1,290,345 (USD
2,330) in the private sector. The standard work week is 48 hours a week for daytime work, 36 hours a
week for nighttime work, and 42 hours a week for mixed day and night work. The U.S. Department of
State reports that the government seldom monitors workers in the informal sector.18
Discrimination
The law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, political opinion, national origin, social status,
or union affiliation. However, the laws do not prohibit discrimination based on age, language, or HIV‐
positive status. The U.S. Department of State reports that the labor laws are not effectively enforced
and discrimination against foreign migrant workers has occurred.19
Forced Labor
Forced labor is prohibited by law, but the government has not met the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking according to the U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report.20
Penalties and enforcement mechanisms were inadequate, and the U.S. Department of State has
reported various situations of forced labor around the country.
Child Labor
The law prohibits the employment of children under the age of 18, except for light work between age 16
and 18.21 The Right to Education project reports that education is compulsory until age 12.22
8
Civil Society Organizations
The U.S. Department of State reports that the government has abused and restricted NGO activity and failed to protect human rights.23 Human Rights Watch reports that the government imposes restrictive conditions and operation of NGOs.24
Ratification of ILO Conventions Related to Human Trafficking or Rights of Workers and Migrants
25
Political Risk Factors
Political Instability or Conflict
Equatorial Guinea scores 85.2 on the Fragile States Index in 2016 and was placed in the “High Warning”
category as the 53th most fragile state. The score went up 0.4 points from the score in 2015, and the
average indicator score was 7.1 out of 10.26 The U.S. Department of State reports that the political
process is corrupt, with civil servants being removed for political reasons without due process, and
opposition members subject to arbitrary arrest and harassment.27 Human Rights Watch has reported
that political repression is not limited to election season.28
9
Level of Crime and Violence
The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), a division of the U.S. Department of State, reports that
the most common crime in Equatorial Guinea is extortion by corrupt police officers.29
The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime reported that Equatorial Guinea had a homicide rate of 19.2
homicides per 100,000 people in 2012.30
State Persecution
The U.S. Department of State reports that societal discrimination and political marginalization of
minorities are problems in Equatorial Guinea. The predominant ethnic group dominates political and
economic power, and the president has referred to foreigners as a security threat in multiple public
speeches. The U.S. Department of State has reported that the number of reports of security forces
harassing and extorting foreigners at gunpoint has increased. This may occur at check points where
foreigners are routinely stopped by officials and asked to provide documentation. Immigrants are
reported to be vulnerable to such abuse, in part because government agencies delayed renewal of
residence and work permits.31
Level of Corruption
The Transparency International Corruption Perception Index scored Equatorial Guinea as 19 out of 100
in 2013, where a 0 signals “Highly Corrupt” and a 100 signals “Very Clean.” Equatorial Guinea was
ranked 163 out of 175 countries on that index.32 The U.S. Department of State reports that while the law
provides severe criminal penalties for corruption, the government does not implement the law and
officials have engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.33 Human Rights Watch reports that oil
revenues fund only the elite surrounding the president, with allegations of corruption abound. Few
private media outlets exist, and they are largely owned by people close to the president.34
Socio-Economic Risk Factors
Level of National Economic Development
The UN Human Development Index places Equatorial Guinea in the medium human development
category, ranking the country 135 of 188 countries with a score of 0.592 in 2015. The majority of
Equatorial Guinea’s neighbors rank lower than Equatorial Guinea, including Nigeria, Central African
Republic, and Cameroon.35 The World Bank classifies Equatorial Guinea in the upper middle income
10
level.36 However, according to Human Rights Watch, Equatorial Guinea has “by far the world’s largest
gap between per capita wealth and human development score.”37
Level and Extent of Poverty
The poverty headcount ratio at the national poverty lines is 76.8 percent according to the World Bank.38
This number represents the percentage of the population living below the national poverty lines. The
Central Intelligence Agency reports that the unemployment rate in Equatorial Guinea is 22.3 percent.39
Degree of Gender Inequality
The UNDP Human Development Report Gender Inequality Index reports that approximately 71.3
percent of the female population was part of the labor force in 2015, compared to 92 percent of the
male population.40 While the constitution provides for equality between men and women, the Spanish
civil code is applied, which discriminates against women in matters of nationality, real property, and
inheritance. Under traditional Fang law, women have no inheritance rights. The national law is not
enforced by the government, so restrictions on traditional marriage like polygamy are not enforced. The
U.S. Department of State reports that women are paid less than men for the same work and that the
terms of their contracts are not often honored.41
Landlessness or Dispossession
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that more than half of the total
land area in Equatorial Guinea is made up of protected areas and productive forests.42 The U.S.
Department of State reports that individuals may hold the title to land, but the state has full power of
eminent domain and does not offer compensation to the titleholders when they exercise that power.43
Documented Trafficking in Persons Risk Factors in Key Commodity Supply Chains
Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas Overview
Almost none of the state funds coming from oil revenues have been allocated to public projects or
development initiatives. Instead, they have been funneled to state elites, particularly those close to
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.44 The government is known to be particularly oppressive,
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jailing political dissenters, systematically torturing people, and murdering those who disagree with the
government.45
Documented Trafficking in Persons Risk Factors in Oil and Gas
Sub‐contractors from the oil/gas sector and related construction industry reportedly confiscate foreign
workers’ passports and subject workers to substandard working conditions.46 Equatorial Guinea’s oil
wealth has attracted migrants from China, neighboring countries, and Latin America. The U.S.
Department of State reports that the oil sector is linked to a demand for sex trafficking and trafficked
domestic work.47
Forestry/Wood
Forestry/Wood Overview
Forests cover over 60 percent of the landmass in Equatorial Guinea.48 The forests include tree species
that are used for plywood and veneers, both of which are desirable for Asian manufacturers.49 The
government banned logging exports in 2007 but, following a two‐year drop, China has continued to
import wood in large quantities.50
Documented Trafficking in Persons Risk Factors in Forestry/Wood
Equatorial Guinea lost over 12 percent of its forests between 2000 and 2012,51 and it is expected that
deforestation will continue in spite of the ban if China continues to import products. Over half of the
population relies on forest resources for subsistence livelihoods,52 meaning that a significant portion of
the population will be at risk of losing their livelihoods and being displaced should deforestation
continue. Greenpeace has reported that “the country is failing to enforce laws and create transparency
in a forest sector plagued by rampant corruption, a lack of accountability and collusion between
authorities and timber companies.”53
12
This report was funded by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.
Endnotes
1 World Bank. Country Data, Equatorial Guinea. 2017. http://data.worldbank.org/country/equatorial‐guinea 2 Human Rights Watch. World Report: Equatorial Guinea: Events of 2016. 2017. https://www.hrw.org/world‐
report/2017/country‐chapters/equatorial‐guinea 3 Human Rights Watch (HRW). Equatorial Guinea. https://www.hrw.org/africa/equatorial‐guinea 4 World Bank. Country Data, Equatorial Guinea. 2017. http://data.worldbank.org/country/equatorial‐guinea 5 World Bank. Country Overview, Equatorial Guinea. 2017. http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/equatorialguinea 6 Human Rights Watch (HRW). World Report: Equatorial Guinea: Events of 2016. 2017. https://www.hrw.org/world‐
report/2017/country‐chapters/equatorial‐guinea 7 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Human Development Index. 2016. http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI 8 World Bank. Country Data, Equatorial Guinea. 2017. http://data.worldbank.org/country/equatorial‐guinea 9 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). World Factbook: Equatorial Guinea. 2017. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the‐
world‐factbook/geos/ek.html 10 International Organization for Migration (IOM). Global Migration Flows. 2016. http://www.iom.int/world‐migration#source 11 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 12 International Trade Centre. Trade Map. www.trademap.org. 13 International Trade Centre. Trade Map. www.trademap.org. 14 Office of the United States Trade Representative. Equatorial Guinea. https://ustr.gov/countries‐regions/africa/central‐
africa/equatorial‐guinea 15 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250
13
16 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 17 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 18 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 19 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 20 U.S Department of State. Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Trafficking in Persons Report. 2016.
https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/countries/2016/258762.htm 21 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 22 Right to Education project. National law and minimum ages – Equatorial Guinea. 2004. http://r2e.gn.apc.org/country‐
node/425/country‐minimum 23 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 24 Human Rights Watch (HRW). World Report: Equatorial Guinea Events of 2016. 2017. https://www.hrw.org/world‐
report/2017/country‐chapters/equatorial‐guinea
25 International Labor Organization. Ratifications for Equatorial Guinea.
http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:11200:0::NO::P11200_COUNTRY_ID:103117 26 Fund For Peace. Country Data and Trends. 2016. http://fsi.fundforpeace.org/2016‐equatorialguinea 27 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 28 Human Rights Watch (HRW). World Report: Equatorial Guinea Events of 2016. 2017. https://www.hrw.org/world‐
report/2017/country‐chapters/equatorial‐guinea 29 Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016, Equatorial Guinea. 2016.
https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=21502 30 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Global Homicide Report. 2013.
https://www.unodc.org/documents/gsh/pdfs/2014_GLOBAL_HOMICIDE_BOOK_web.pdf 31 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 32 Transparency International. Corruption Perceptions Index, 2016. 2016. https://www.transparency.org/cpi2013/results 33 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 34 Human Rights Watch. World Report: Equatorial Guinea Events of 2016. 2017. https://www.hrw.org/world‐
report/2017/country‐chapters/equatorial‐guinea 35 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Human Development Reports. 2016.
http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI 36 World Bank. Country Data, Equatorial Guinea. 2017. http://data.worldbank.org/country/equatorial‐guinea 37 Human Rights Watch (HRW). Country Chapters: Equatorial Guinea. https://www.hrw.org/world‐report/2017/country‐
chapters/equatorial‐guinea 38 World Bank. Country Data, Equatorial Guinea. 2017. http://data.worldbank.org/country/equatorial‐guinea 39 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). World Factbook: Equatorial Guinea. 2017. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the‐
world‐factbook/geos/ek.html 40 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Human Development Index, Gender Inequality Index. 2015.
http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/GII 41 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. 2016. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 42 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Gender and Land rights Database. 2016.
http://www.fao.org/gender‐landrights‐database/country‐profiles/countries‐list/general‐introduction/en/?country_iso3=GNQ
14
43 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. 2016. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250 44 Birrell, Ian. "The strange and evil world of Equatorial Guinea." The Guardian. October 22, 2011.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/23/equatorial‐guinea‐africa‐corruption‐kleptocracy 45 Human Rights Watch (HRW). World Report: Equatorial Guinea Events of 2016. 2017. https://www.hrw.org/world‐
report/2017/country‐chapters/equatorial‐guinea 46 U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
2016: Equatorial Guinea. 2016. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265250
Deutsche Welle. "Foreign workers flock to Equatorial Guinea.” June 11, 2013. http://www.dw.com/en/foreign‐workers‐flock‐to‐
equatorial‐guinea/a‐17210212 48 Tessa, Bertrand and Fernando Evuna Mboro Eyang. World Resources Institute. “Equatorial Guinea Increases Protected
Forests by 63 Percent, Shows New Atlas.” November 13, 2013. http://www.wri.org/blog/2013/11/equatorial‐guinea‐increases‐
protected‐forests‐63‐percent‐shows‐new‐atlas
Illegal Logging Portal. Equatorial Guinea. https://www.illegal‐logging.info/regions/equatorial‐guinea 49 Alemagi, Dieudonne and Daniel Nukpezahhttp. Environment and Natural Resources Research. Assessing the Performance of
Large‐scale Logging Companies in Countries of the Congo Basin. June 1, 2012.
www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/enrr/article/download/17675/11879 50 Global Timber. Equatorial Guinea: China and the EU's imports of timber from Equatorial Guinea.
http://www.globaltimber.org.uk/equatorialguinea.htm 51 “The Economist. Equatorial Guinea seeks to improve forest management.” April 16, 2012.
http://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=1618987746&Country=Equatorial%20Guinea&topic=Economy&subtopic=Current
+policy&oid=1398598124&aid=1 52 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Forests and the forestry sector Equatorial Guinea. August
2003. http://www.fao.org/forestry/country/57478/en/gnq/ 53 Greenpeace. Opportunity Knocks: How and why Chinese importers need to help fight illegal logging in the Congo Basin.
November 2015. http://www.greenpeace.org/africa/Global/africa/publications/forests/Opportuniy_Knocks.pdf