The government's official policy is one of nonalignment. In its search for assistance to meet the goal of national reconstruction, the government of Equatorial Guinea has established diplomatic relations with numerous European and Third World countries. Having achieved independence under UN sponsorship, Equatorial Guinea feels a special kinship with that organization. It became the 126th UN member on November 12, 1968. Equatorial Guinea served as a non-permanent member on the United Nations Security Council from 2017 to 2019.
List of countries which Equatorial Guinea maintains diplomatic relations with:
# | Country | Date [1] |
---|---|---|
1 | Spain | 27 September 1968 [2] |
2 | Egypt | 12 October 1968 [3] |
3 | Cameroon | 27 October 1968 [4] |
4 | Switzerland | 4 November 1968 [5] |
5 | Japan | 12 November 1968 [6] |
6 | United States | 12 November 1968 [7] |
7 | Philippines | 28 November 1968 [8] |
8 | Russia | 7 December 1968 [9] |
9 | Gabon | 1968 [10] |
10 | India | 1968 [11] |
11 | Israel | 1968 [12] |
12 | United Kingdom | 1968 [13] |
13 | Nigeria | 25 January 1969 [14] |
14 | North Korea | 30 January 1969 [15] |
15 | France | 10 July 1969 [16] |
16 | Netherlands | 1969 [17] |
17 | Sweden | 1969 [18] |
18 | Hungary | 18 February 1970 [19] |
19 | Serbia | 18 May 1970 [20] |
20 | Czech Republic | 22 July 1970 [21] |
21 | China | 15 October 1970 [22] |
22 | Ethiopia | 1970 [23] |
23 | Germany | 14 April 1971 [24] |
24 | Ghana | 4 June 1971 [25] |
25 | Republic of the Congo | 12 July 1971 [26] |
26 | Bulgaria | 15 September 1971 [27] |
27 | Chile | 8 November 1971 [28] |
28 | Romania | 9 March 1972 [29] |
29 | Vietnam | 1 September 1972 [30] |
30 | Albania | 30 November 1972 [31] [32] |
31 | Cuba | 27 December 1972 [33] |
32 | Tunisia | 1972 [34] |
33 | Argentina | 26 April 1974 [35] |
34 | Central African Republic | 24 January 1975 [36] |
35 | Brazil | 26 May 1975 [37] |
36 | Mexico | 26 September 1975 [38] |
37 | Austria | 1 March 1976 [39] |
38 | Portugal | 9 March 1977 [40] |
39 | Guinea | 1977 [41] |
40 | Morocco | 1978 [42] |
41 | Poland | 29 May 1979 [43] |
42 | South Korea | 14 September 1979 [44] |
43 | Canada | 20 August 1980 [45] |
44 | Ecuador | 8 September 1980 [46] |
45 | Turkey | 16 September 1980 [47] [48] |
46 | Liberia | 1980 [49] |
47 | Benin | 10 April 1981 [50] |
48 | Peru | 28 April 1981 [51] |
49 | Costa Rica | April 1981 [52] |
50 | Colombia | 6 May 1981 [53] |
51 | Venezuela | 7 May 1981 [54] |
52 | Panama | 13 May 1981 [55] |
53 | Uruguay | 15 September 1981 [56] |
— | Holy See | 24 December 1981 [57] |
54 | Angola | 1982 [58] |
55 | Sierra Leone | March 1983 [59] |
56 | Nicaragua | 20 September 1984 |
57 | Bolivia | 21 October 1987 |
58 | Kuwait | 1988 [60] |
59 | Pakistan | 9 October 1990 [61] |
60 | Thailand | 15 February 1991 [62] |
61 | Ukraine | 18 May 1992 [63] |
62 | Armenia | 19 May 1992 [64] |
63 | Belarus | 25 May 1992 [65] |
64 | Turkmenistan | 8 December 1992 [66] |
65 | Seychelles | 14 April 1993 |
66 | South Africa | 5 May 1993 [67] |
67 | Mali | 4 November 1993 [68] |
68 | Burkina Faso | 1993 [69] |
— | Sovereign Military Order of Malta | 16 July 1996 [70] |
69 | Slovakia | 7 December 1997 [71] |
70 | Dominican Republic | 24 November 1999 [72] |
71 | Libya | 11 February 2001 [73] |
72 | Malaysia | November 2001 [74] |
73 | North Macedonia | 9 July 2002 |
74 | Luxembourg | 9 October 2003 [75] |
75 | Mauritius | 26 May 2004 |
76 | Zimbabwe | 2 June 2004 [76] |
77 | Iceland | 10 September 2004 |
78 | Azerbaijan | 11 November 2004 |
79 | Paraguay | 3 November 2005 |
80 | Guatemala | 8 December 2006 |
81 | Botswana | 13 December 2006 [77] |
82 | Norway | 30 March 2007 [78] |
83 | Croatia | 18 October 2007 |
84 | Estonia | 18 December 2007 |
85 | Cyprus | 29 February 2008 |
86 | Finland | 30 April 2008 |
87 | Haiti | 24 June 2008 [79] |
88 | Latvia | 13 November 2008 |
89 | Lebanon | 21 November 2008 |
90 | Monaco | 16 June 2009 [80] |
91 | Australia | 23 July 2009 |
92 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 24 February 2010 |
93 | Slovenia | 26 May 2010 |
94 | Georgia | 23 June 2010 |
95 | Cambodia | 30 June 2010 |
96 | Rwanda | 29 July 2010 [81] |
97 | Ivory Coast | 12 August 2010 [82] |
98 | Mozambique | 13 July 2011 [83] |
99 | Namibia | 3 August 2011 [84] |
100 | Fiji | 6 October 2011 |
101 | Saudi Arabia | 12 October 2011 [85] |
102 | Suriname | 12 January 2012 |
103 | Comoros | 28 June 2012 [86] |
104 | Mauritania | 6 October 2012 [87] |
105 | Mongolia | 20 February 2014 |
106 | Denmark | 7 November 2014 [88] |
107 | Eswatini | 19 February 2015 [89] |
108 | Jamaica | 18 May 2015 |
109 | South Sudan | 8 October 2015 [90] |
110 | Indonesia | 22 September 2016 [91] |
111 | Sudan | 19 December 2016 [92] |
112 | Cape Verde | 4 May 2017 [93] |
113 | Kazakhstan | 24 May 2017 |
114 | Uganda | 19 February 2018 [94] |
115 | Singapore | 11 April 2018 |
116 | Zambia | 19 April 2018 [95] |
117 | Maldives | 21 May 2018 |
118 | Tajikistan | 21 May 2018 |
119 | Djibouti | 9 October 2018 [96] |
120 | Guinea-Bissau | 22 November 2018 [97] |
121 | Liechtenstein | 2018 [98] |
122 | Nepal | 30 April 2019 |
123 | Honduras | 31 July 2020 [99] |
124 | Qatar | 7 April 2021 |
125 | Bangladesh | 7 April 2022 [100] |
126 | Gambia | 29 May 2022 [101] |
127 | El Salvador | 18 September 2023 [102] |
128 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 22 September 2023 [103] |
129 | Oman | 2 April 2024 [104] |
130 | Algeria | Unknown |
131 | Belgium | Unknown |
132 | Burundi | Unknown |
133 | Chad | Unknown |
134 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Unknown |
135 | East Timor | Unknown |
136 | Greece | Unknown |
137 | Iran | Unknown |
138 | Iraq | Unknown |
139 | Italy | Unknown |
140 | Kenya | Unknown |
141 | Lesotho | Unknown |
142 | Madagascar | Unknown |
143 | Malawi | Unknown |
144 | Malta | Unknown |
145 | Niger | Unknown |
146 | São Tomé and Príncipe | Unknown [105] |
147 | Senegal | Unknown |
148 | Somalia | Unknown |
149 | Tanzania | Unknown |
150 | Togo | Unknown |
151 | United Arab Emirates | Unknown |
Country | Formal relations established | Notes |
---|---|---|
Angola | ||
Cameroon | 27 October 1968 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 October 1968 [106] Equatorial Guinea has cordial relations with neighbouring Cameroon, although there was criticism in Cameroon in 2000 about perceived mistreatment of Cameroonians working in Equatorial Guinea. Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea have an unresolved maritime border dispute. The majority Fang ethnic group of mainland Equatorial Guinea extends both north and south into the forests of Cameroon and Gabon. Cameroon exports some food products to Equatorial Guinea and imports oil from Equatorial Guinea for its refinery at nearby Limbe. In December 2008, Equatorial Guinea security forces killed a Cameroonian fisherman and abducted two immigrants, Cameroon closed its border in response. [107] |
Chad |
| |
Congo-Brazzaville | 12 July 1971 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 July 1971 when first Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea to People's Republic of the Congo Mr. Clemente Aqueda presented his cedentials to President Ngouabi
[108]
|
Egypt | 15 April 1969 |
|
Gabon | 1968 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1968
[109]
|
Ghana | 1968 |
|
Morocco | 1978 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1978
[110]
|
Nigeria | 25 January 1969 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 January 1969 [111] Equatorial Guinea has warmer relations with Nigeria, and the Nigerian President made an official visit to Malabo in 2001. The two countries have delineated their offshore borders, which will facilitate development of nearby gas fields. In addition, many Nigerians work in Equatorial Guinea, as do immigrants from Cameroon and some West African states. |
São Tomé and Príncipe |
| |
South Africa | 5 May 1993 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 May 1993
[112]
|
Country | Formal relations established | Notes |
---|---|---|
Argentina | 26 April 1974 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 April 1974.
[113]
|
Brazil | 26 May 1975 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 May 1975
[114]
|
Canada | 20 August 1980 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 August 1980
[115]
|
Chile | 9 November 1971 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 November 1971
[117]
|
Colombia | 6 May 1981 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 May 1981
[118]
|
Cuba | 27 December 1972 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 December 1972
[119]
|
Mexico | 26 September 1975 | See
Equatorial Guinea–Mexico relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 September 1975 [120] |
United States | 21 November 1968 | See
Equatorial Guinea–United States relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 November 1968, diplomatic relations suspension from 14 March 1976 to 19 December 1979. [123] In 1995, the United States closed its embassy, ostensibly for budget reasons, though the ambassador of the time had been accused of witchcraft, and had criticised the human rights situation. In 1996, offshore oil began flowing, and, with several US oil companies present in the country, the US reopened the embassy in October 2003. The US has sought to encourage the progress of human rights to the country by addressing its concerns directly to the government, as well as holding seminars for better police conduct and judicial conferences with US judges to improve the rule of law. [124]
|
Venezuela | 7 May 1981 | See
Equatorial Guinea–Venezuela relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 May 1981 [127]
|
Country | Formal relations established | Notes |
---|---|---|
China | 15 October 1970 | See
China–Equatorial Guinea relations
The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea established diplomatic relations on October 15, 1970. [128] |
India | 1968 | See
Equatorial Guinea–India relations
|
Israel | 1968 [129] |
|
Japan | 20 October 1980 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 October 1980
[130]
|
North Korea | 30 January 1969 | See
Equatorial Guinea–North Korea relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 January 1969 [131]
|
South Korea | 14 September 1979 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 September 1979
[132]
|
Turkey | 16 September 1980 | See
Equatorial Guinea–Turkey relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 16 September 1980 [133] [134] |
Country | Formal relations established | Notes |
---|---|---|
Belgium | ||
France | 10 July 1969 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 July 1969 [136] Equatorial Guinea is member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), which includes Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, and Gabon. It also is a member of the Franc zone. Parallel to the Equatoguinean rapprochement with its Francophone neighbors, France's role has significantly increased following Equatorial Guinea's entry into the CFA Franc Zone and the BEAC. French technical advisers work in the finance and planning ministries, and agreements have been signed for infrastructure development projects.
|
Germany | 7 June 1969 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 June 1969
[137]
|
Poland | 29 May 1979 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 May 1979
[138]
|
Portugal | 9 May 1977 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 May 1977
[139]
|
Russia | 7 December 1968 | See
Equatorial Guinea–Russia relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 December 1968 [140]
|
Spain | 12 October 1968 | See
Equatorial Guinea–Spain relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 october 1968 [141] A transitional agreement, signed in October 1968, implemented a Spanish preindependence decision to assist Equatorial Guinea and provided for the temporary maintenance of Spanish military forces there. A dispute with President Francisco Macías Nguema in 1969 led to a request that all Spanish troops immediately depart, and many civilians left at the same time. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were never broken but were suspended by Spain in March 1977 in the wake of renewed disputes. After Macías' fall in 1979, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo asked for Spanish assistance, and since then, Spain has regained influence in Equatorial Guinea's diplomatic relations. The two countries signed permanent agreements for economic and technical cooperation, private concessions, and trade relations. President Obiang made an official visit to Madrid in March 2001, and senior Spanish Foreign Ministry officials visited Malabo during 2001 as well. Spain maintained a bilateral assistance program in Equatorial Guinea. Some Equato-Guinean opposition elements are based in Spain to the annoyance of the government in Malabo.
|
United Kingdom | 20 June 1969 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 June 1969 when has been appointed first Ambassador of United Kingdom to Equatorial Guinea (resident in Yaoude) Mr. Alan John Edden.
[144]
|
Le Gabon et la Guinée Equatoriale ont décidé d'établir des relations diplomatiques au niveau des ambassades
Ghana-Equatorial Guinea. The Ghanaian Ambassador to Nigeria, Major-General M. A. Aferi, has been accredited to Equatorial Guinea on a non-residential basis. (GT 4/6)
Le Gabon et la Guinée Equatoriale ont décidé d'établir des relations diplomatiques au niveau des ambassades