Equatorial Guinea moves capital inland

In a historic shift, Equatorial Guinea has officially designated Ciudad de la Paz as its new national capital. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo enacted the change by decree, relocating the seat of government from the island city of Malabo to the mainland’s equatorial forest. This planned move, decades in the making, aims to decongest rapidly growing urban centers and foster national unity from a more central geographic location. Furthermore, the government anticipates the transition will modernize the administration. All state institutions now have one year to transfer to this purpose-built “City of Peace,” though the fate of foreign embassies remains uncertain. It’s a massive logistical undertaking that marks a bold new chapter for Africa’s only Spanish-speaking nation.

Le Monde