Equatorial Guinea President Pledges Environmental Conservation

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  In an address to world leaders, CEOs and the media, Equatorial Guinea (Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial) President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo vowed to preserve the natural resources of the country and protect endangered species. President Obiang's historic address was delivered at the 2010 Global Forum in Cape Town, South Africa.

As a member of the Commission for the Conservation of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa (COMIFAC), parts of Equatorial Guinea, including Monte Alen National Park (ECOFAC), have been declared reserves for its forests and biodiversity protection zones.

"We have reduced wood export to below that of oil exploitation.  Indeed, the government asked the African Union to monitor and intervene in the activities of NGOs interested in the environment to ensure we have a program for preservation," President Obiang said.

President Obiang also vowed to continue to protect against the hunting of monkeys and other endangered species.

"We will continue to take other protective measures already in place, such as the prohibition of hunting of monkeys and other endangered species. We will ask for assistance from interested organizations to support the population that is affected by these measures," President Obiang said.

As part of the effort to preserve its ecosystems and biodiversity, Equatorial Guinea was recently welcomed by The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) as a member of CMS. Environmental conservation is part of a larger effort to reform outlined by President Obiang at the Forum.

About Equatorial Guinea

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s, American companies helped discover the country's oil and natural gas resources, which only within the last five years began contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea is now working to serve as a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country will host the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.

This has been distributed by Qorvis Communications, LLC on behalf of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. More information on this relationship is on file at the United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea