IPRIS

CPLP and Equatorial Guinea: Chronicle of a foretold membership?

Paulo Gorjão

The CPLP member states -- and especially Angola and Brazil -- wish to strengthen their bilateral economic relations with Equatorial Guinea, and benefit from its oil and gas wealth, as well as reinforce their geopolitical influence within the Gulf of Guinea. Unlike Angola and Brazil, Portugal's political and economic bilateral interests are of little relevance. However, Portugal will have to try to find a balance that embraces the interests and beliefs of domestic and external players.

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Table of Contents:
Sean Goforth, "Brazil: Dilma's dilemma"
Marina Costa Lobo, "Equatorial Guinea fakes reforms to enter the CPLP"
Gerhard Seibert, "São Tomé and Príncipe: in the third attempt and after twenty years, a former autocrat returns to the presidency"
Timeline of Events

Reading List

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By Paulo Gorjão

Opponents of Equatorial Guinea’s acceptance as a member of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) justify their stance with two main arguments. The first brings forward the nature of the regime, i.e. CPLP should not accept as a member an authoritarian regime. The main problem with this regime argument is that, when it was established in 1996, the CPLP was never meant to be a club of democracies. More important, as far as the nature of the regime is concerned, the CPLP continues to be a club of different regimes. Indeed, in 2010, Angola is ranked by the Freedom House as “not free”, and Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Timor Leste as “partly free”. In other words, why should CPLP demand to Equatorial Guinea more than is required to the current members?

The other argument against membership is the language. Portuguese is not an official language in Equatorial Guinea and the CPLP in Article 6 says explicitly that the Portuguese as an official language is a requirement regarding membership. Equatorial Guinea announced already that it would adopt the Portuguese as an official language. Thus, as long as it matches words with deeds, the language argument does not make much sense either.

In my view, the pros and cons of Equatorial Guinea’s membership lie elsewhere. One should think exactly how its acceptance brings added value to the organization. The CPLP will become a stronger multilateral institution if Equatorial Guinea is accepted as a member? Why? Will it bring additional power resources? More soft power? Enlarged regional influence? In other words, what will be delivered by Equatorial Guinea to CPLP? And, is this something valued by CPLP?

The answers to the questions above should determine the fate of Equatorial Guinea’s membership request.

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By Paulo Gorjão

Brazilian President Lula da Silva went to Malabo yesterday. A few days earlier, Cape Verdean President Pedro Pires met Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Portuguese Foreign Minister Luís Amado also met Equatorial Guinea's President in May. The list of high-level contacts in the last few months could continue. Despite some resistance, Equatorial Guinea is increasingly closer of being a CPLP member...