Moscow and Malabo have recently finalized an agreement that will allow Russian military instructors to train members of Equatorial Guinea’s armed forces, as announced by the African nation’s Vice President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. The historic agreement was reached during a meeting between Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and the vice president from West Africa.
According to Obiang’s announcement on X (previously known as Twitter), this new military training agreement will enable Russian instructors to visit Equatorial Guinea and train soldiers from various units within the country’s national army. In a separate statement released on the government website, the vice president remarked that Yevkurov’s visit to Malabo had significantly strengthened relations between Russia and Equatorial Guinea, particularly in areas of multi-sectoral cooperation with an emphasis on defense and security.
This recent agreement comes after a series of diplomatic engagements between the two nations. In November 2023, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss various topics, including the potential opening of a Russian embassy in Malabo.
In a recent development, Vsevolod Tkachenko, the head of the Africa Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, confirmed that an embassy was already operating de facto in Malabo. Furthermore, a high-ranking delegation from the Russian Defense Ministry had visited Niger and Mali earlier last week to discuss defense and security cooperation, as well as the ongoing situation in the Sahel region, which has been heavily impacted by jihadist violence for decades.
The new agreement between Russia and Equatorial Guinea signifies a strengthening of ties and cooperation between the two nations, particularly in areas of mutual interest such as defense, security, and regional stability. As both countries continue to engage in dialogue and collaboration on various levels, their partnership is poised to make significant strides in addressing key challenges and fostering greater stability across the African continent.