Equatorial Guinea – Behind the facade

The paradox of plenty is nowhere more obvious than in the small oil-rich nation of Equatorial Guinea. With a population of less than one million on which to spend its vast oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea should be a prosperous country with well looked after citizens. Instead, it is estimated that three quarters of Equatoguineans live on less than two dollars a day and abject poverty lives alongside obscene displays of wealth.

Oil revenues have been use to shore up power and famously contribute to the playboy lifestyle of the President’s son (Michael Jackson glove and Malibu mansion included) rather than benefit the country’s citizens. While Equatorial Guinea was in a position to ‘rescue’ the Africa Cup of Nations by hosting it last-minute, it isn’t in a position to educate or house its citizens. The resource curse in Equatorial Guinea is hidden by facades, facades which – as we see in these photos, quickly crumble away upon closer inspection…

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Behind the facade, the reality of life in Equatorial Guinea http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #paradoxofplenty #can

A luxury Shopping Centre in a country where 75% of the population live in poverty http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #paradoxofplenty #can

Are these empty luxury homes where EG’s oil revenues go? http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #paradoxofplenty #can

Exile on the main street, two worlds live side by side in EG http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #paradoxofplenty #can

Streets away but worlds apart – not everyone benefits from oil in EG http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #paradoxofplenty #can

EG needs transparency so that citizens can benefit from their resources http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #eiti

Derrière les façades, la réalité de la vie en Guinée Equatoriale http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #can #paradoxedabondance

Un centre de shopping luxe, dans un pays où 75% de la population vit en pauvreté http://bit.ly/1yQctFq

La Guinée Equatoriale a besoin de la transparence pour vaincre la malédiction des ressources http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #itie

Dos mundos viven lado al lado en la Guinea Ecuatorial http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #can

La Guinea Ecuatorial necesita transparencia para vencer la maldición de los recursos http://bit.ly/1yQctFq #itie

¿A dónde van los ingresos de petróleo en la Guinea Ecuatorial? http://bit.ly/1yQctFq