I remember Gaddafi; Africa is suffering due to egoism - Obiang Nguema

Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo remembered the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during a two-day state visit to Uganda where he stressed on pan-Africanism.

Obiang Nguema told the media at the Ugandan State House in Entebbe on Wednesday that Africa’s problem is due to lack of unity to counter its challenges.

“I remember our hero Gaddafi who used to promote this African solidarity but sadly most countries would not still agree with him … The instability Africa is suffering is due to the egoism of each country,” he was quoted by local media Daily Monitor.

“We forget that we are Africans. Things are not moving in the right direction for our countries and it is not that Africa is not self sufficient but Africans look at ourselves as people who cannot develop ourselves yet we have many resources. Africans think all civilisation lies in the Western world,” he added.

His host, President Yoweri Museveni also called on Africans to work together and ensure security and development on the continent.

“Our pan Africanism is not sentimental. It is for prosperity, security, and historical and cultural reasons. We look at Africa as Africa. We do not care whether the country is Francophone or Anglophone,” he said.

Museveni questioned: “Why can’t we work together and fight against terrorists taking over countries like Mali and Somalia or negotiate better trade deals with a bigger market?”

The two leaders signed bilateral agreements in diplomatic cooperation, trade, culture and oil and gas exploration.

Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea also pledged to support Uganda in its exploration of the oil and gas industry with the recent discovery of 21 oil and gas fields in Uganda estimated at over 6.5 billion barrels.

Obiang Nguema cautioned the East African country to be careful when negotiating oil and gas deals.

“Oil can be linked to honey. Honey attracts many bees but some of those bees are the bad ones. Uganda needs to be vigilant to sieve the bad from the good,” he said at a joint oil and gas convention and regional expo.

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo left Uganda Thursday afternoon.