Obiang Calls for Stronger OEACP to Tackle Global Crises
At the closing of the 11th Summit of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OEACP), President Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea issued a clarion call for the 79-nation bloc to evolve into a “stronger, more dynamic, and more influential” force on the global stage.
Obiang, who officially assumed the group’s rotating presidency for the next three years, addressed delegates in Malabo on Monday. He warned that the organization, founded in 1975, must modernize to remain relevant in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.
A Unified Response to Global Crises
“We live in a world marked by profound, rapid, and complex transformations,” Obiang declared. He cited a litany of modern threats—including geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, climate change, economic inequality, and food and energy insecurity—as challenges that “demand a common, coordinated, and solidary response” from the OEACP.
The President emphasized that the organization cannot afford to be a passive bystander. To meet these challenges, he argued for a total overhaul of internal structures, calling on member states to modernize operational mechanisms and adopt new tools that allow the bloc to “act more quickly and effectively.”
Championing a New International Order
Central to Obiang’s vision for his three-year term is advocacy for the Global South. He asserted that the OEACP must “firmly defend” the interests of its members while lobbying for a “fairer, more balanced, and more inclusive” international order. Key to this strategy, he noted, is the diversification of strategic alliances and the fostering of greater economic integration among the 79 member countries.
Obiang, currently the world’s longest-serving head of state, pledged to lead this “transformation and renewal” by leaning into the organization’s core values of sovereignty, cooperation, and progress.
Portuguese-Speaking Nations Take Center Stage
The summit highlighted the significant role of the Lusophone world within the bloc. Equatorial Guinea takes over the leadership from Angola, whose president, João Lourenço, was in attendance. Other notable participants included Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, alongside representatives from Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste.
As the OEACP looks toward 2029, the Malabo summit marks a pivotal moment for a group seeking to turn its collective size into tangible geopolitical leverage.
Image: Pexels – Chris Liu
