Equatorial Guinea's instant city: Just add an AU summit

Equatorial Guinea has unveiled a new city of luxury villas, an artificial beach and a golf course built in just two years to host this month’s African Union summit, state radio reported on Monday.

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema inaugurated the city of Sipopo on Sunday, congratulating his government and construction companies involved for completing “such an emblematic city in a record two years”, it said.

Sipopo counts 52 luxury presidential villas, a conference hall, an artificial beach, a golf course and the French luxury hotel Sofitel, it added.

The small West African country is sub-Saharan Africa’s third largest oil producer and has launched an ambitious construction programme financed by its petro-dollars.

Obiang Nguema chairs the African Union and will host its summit from June 29 to July 1. The country will host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012.

Petro-dollars benefit the elite
Equatorial Guinea is home to about 700 000 people, who are mostly poor despite the country’s oil wealth.

Rights groups have accused the former Spanish colony of mismanaging its oil reserves, with billions of dollars benefiting the elite.

In January, Human Rights Watch counsel and spokesperson Reed Brody said Obiang’s record was anti-ethical to the African Union’s mission and values.

“Equatorial Guinea’s vast oil revenues fund lavish lifestyles for the small elite surrounding President Obiang, while the majority of the population lives in dire poverty,” said Brody, a human rights lawyer who has pursued ex-despots.

In a report released in January, Human Rights Watch accused Obiang of subjecting opponents to torture and arbitrary detention.

The group reported cases of foul-play during presidential polls in 2009, in which Obiang won 95,4% of the ballot. - AFP, Reuters