Obiang Calls For Democratization And End To The "Rule Of Force" At The UN

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo issued a call for democratization of the United Nations today in his address to the 69^th United Nations General Assembly, criticizing specifically the role of the Security Council and calling for the "democratization" of the world body.

He noted that the 2014 session of the General Assembly has the responsibility of solving the problems of poverty and hunger in the world; violence and armed conflict; terrorism, piracy and mercenary activities; and the major endemic diseases of the world. He said, however, that he doubted that the UN could seriously hope to solve these problems under its current system.

He said Equatorial Guinea was deeply concerned over the Ebola outbreak in Africa and the growth of terrorism and sectarian conflicts, but said, "The United Nations could never provide a definitive solution to these problems as long as the Security Council is not governed by rules that respect the spirit of democracy and justice …The United Nations could not give a satisfactory solution to these problems as long as the current system of the rule of force subsists in international relations."

Obiang said his own country had engaged in a long period of popular consultation that has produced a steady movement toward greater democracy as well as peace and development that has raised living standards.

"In Equatorial Guinea, we say that democracy is not an import and cannot be designed from offices in other countries," he said. "Democracy is formed with the positive values ​​that characterize a society, and only the people are authorized to define the model for their needs and chart the path of development."

He said that Equatorial Guinea in 1982 adopted a program called the Democratic Experiment in which the citizens themselves, through village councils, participated in the design of its political development. He said the result has been "the current environment of peace, stability and economic prosperity, through successive political reforms."

Thanks to the peace and political stability that have reigned in the country over the last 30 years, the government has been able to develop the country's natural resources, allowing it to aspire to become an emergent economy by the year 2020. He gave specific thanks to countries that have assisted Equatorial Guinea in its development: The United States, China, Russia, Brazil, Morocco, Cuba and France.

He contrasted his country's experience with the experiences of countries that have experienced conflict after outside intervention.

"We need to clearly differentiate what is internal support for a genuine democratic process and what is interference that is done through pressures that result in the misunderstanding, intolerance, exclusion, resentment among citizens," he said.

"The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is very concerned about the proliferation of acts of intervention that do not respect the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states," Obiang said. "These interventions interrupt the natural democratic process in the countries concerned and do not take into account the essential features of the idiosyncrasies of these societies, fueling divisions and sociopolitical instability."

About Equatorial Guinea

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (República 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 hosted the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea