Mbasogo: Serbia can always count on support from Equatorial Guinea

BELGRADE - Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said on Tuesday in Belgrade Serbia could always count on his country's support and noted that Equatorial Guinea would continue to recognise Serbia's territorial integrity.

Mbasogo was speaking to reporters after a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

"I hope agreements signed today will make it possible for both parties to explore possibilities for cooperation in the future," he said.

He said the defence sector was very significant because Africa was suffering from instability due to a lack of security.

He explained that Africa had problems with mercenaries and pirates obstructing river transport and goods trade in the Gulf of Guinea.

"Those are all problems created by our bigger enemies and that is why we must seek other allies and other countries that are fighting for sovereignty, such as Serbia," Mbasogo said.

He said the signed agreements were expected to help his country to start achieving better results on its path to economic sovereignty as well as when it comes to production of primary raw materials and agricultural products.

Mbasogo also thanked Serbia for awarding scholarships to university students from Equatorial Guinea.

He called on Serbian businesses to come to Equatorial Guinea and said they would be provided with all the necessary conditions and support to maximise the results of bilateral economic cooperation.

Mbasogo said Africa had succeeded in achieving political independence but still needed to achieve economic independence as those who had colonised the continent in the past were unwilling to allow it to develop.

"That is why we must be strong, we must look for allies like we have succeeded in finding here in Serbia so that we, too, can become self-sufficient and independent. Thank you to Serbia for the assistance," he noted.