Equatorial Guinea has officially inaugurated a new capital, Ciudad de la Paz, as part of efforts to ease pressure on Malabo and promote more balanced national development, authorities have announced.
The new capital, unveiled on Saturday, January 3, features modern infrastructure including towering high-rise buildings, a presidential palace, and newly constructed government facilities rising from the heart of the equatorial forest.
The project was launched in 2008 under President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled the country for 47 years. According to the government, the relocation is a strategic decision aimed at abandoning Malabo’s geographical constraints and bringing public administration closer to citizens across the mainland.
Malabo, the former capital, is located on Bioko Island and is accessible only by air or sea. As the country’s population grows and economic activities increasingly shift to the mainland—particularly Bata, the economic capital—authorities argue that the island city has become too isolated to serve as the political centre.
Ciudad de la Paz is situated in the Djibloho province, near the Mengomeyén airport, and was previously known as Oyala before being renamed, which translates to “City of Peace.” The city was largely financed through oil revenues and is expected to play a central role in the country’s future administrative and political life.
Officials say the move will support a more equitable distribution of public services and contribute to a rebalancing of territorial development nationwide.
