Lukashenko travels to Equatorial Guinea's mainland

MALABO, 10 December (BelTA) - On the second day of his official visit, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko travelled from the capital city of Malabo to the mainland of Equatorial Guinea, BelTA has learned.

The aircraft of the Belarusian head of state landed at the airport of Mengomeyen. Aleksandr Lukashenko was welcomed by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo at the airport. He invited the Belarusian leader to see the new capital of Equatorial Guinea, Ciudad de la Paz, which name is translated from Spanish as the City of Peace.

The presidents decided to travel around the future capital in one car. During the drive through the future capital, the president of Equatorial Guinea showed the Belarusian head of state the Afro-American University of Central Africa, the La Paz Oyala Hospital, and the Government House. The leaders continued their talks over an informal lunch.

Equatorial Guinea is located in the central part of Africa, on the western coast of the continent. The country consists of the continental part and islands in the Gulf of Guinea (with the total area of about 28,000 square kilometers, including 26,000 square kilometers of the mainland). The largest island, Bioko, is home to the capital city of Malabo, where Aleksandr Lukashenko arrived the day before and where he held official talks with President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on 9 December.

During the talks, the Belarusian head of state noted that this was his first visit to Central Africa and he was impressed by what he saw in this part of the beautiful African continent: “Beautiful forests, mountains, rivers, fish-rich Atlantic Ocean - truly paradise treasures.”

"My staffers have already told me that things are even more wonderful in the territory where you and I will drive or will fly tomorrow. You just need just a little bit more to make it a true paradise. Although you already live as if you were in paradise," Aleksandr Lukashenko said summing up the talks.

A project is currently underway in Equatorial Guinea to build a new capital to replace Malabo. The city is located in the east of the continental part of the country and used to be called Ojala, but in 2020 it was renamed Ciudad de la Paz (City of Peace). The initiative to move the capital was put forward by the president of Equatorial Guinea. It is assumed that the new capital will combine new trends in architecture and traditional cultural elements, promoting the identity of the city. It is expected that renewable energy sources will play a large role in the urban economy.