Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by the same president for decades and the scandal has been shaking the government since the videos first emerged last week.
The dispute dates back to the early 1970s, when Equatorial Guinea was in possession of the islands. In 1972, Gabon’s army ejected Equatoguinean soldiers from Mbanie and established its own military presence on the island. It sparked up again in the 2000s, when the prospectivity of the surrounding waters for hydrocarbons exploration reignited the row…
A final, binding ruling by the ICJ on the row is expected in 2025…
Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, both members of the OPEC producer group, rely heavily on oil revenues to underpin government spending, with hydrocarbons their biggest domestic industries. However, they have seen production stagnate or fall in recent years due to underinvestment, insufficient exploration activity, field maturation and technical issues at ageing wells.