HIBAPRESS
Equatorial Guinea has officially changed its capital from Malabo to Ciudad de la Paz, according to a presidential decree issued last Saturday.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo announced in 2008 his intention to move the capital to Ciudad de la Paz, which means "City of Peace." The former capital, Malabo, is located on Bioko Island, separate from the mainland of the Central African country. Mbasogo said the decision to move the capital to the mainland was made for strategic reasons, explaining his decision by the city's geographical location. He described Ciudad de la Paz as "the ideal choice to embrace the capital." Other reasons for this decision include the rapid urban growth in Malabo and the economic capital "Bata" in recent years, due to the movement of people from rural areas, according to the presidential decree. The decree stated that presidential interests, constitutional bodies, government agencies, and public companies will take the necessary measures to transfer their headquarters to the new capital within a year.
