Equatorial Guinea: A Hub for Forced Labor, Arms Trafficking, and Environmental Crimes

People

Forced Labor and Human Trafficking: Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich nation, is a destination and source for victims of forced labor and human trafficking.
Vulnerable populations: Citizens of neighboring countries seek employment, only to fall prey to labor exploitation or forced prostitution. Children from West African countries are forced into labor as domestic workers, market vendors, or launderers. Women, especially from neighboring countries, China, and the Caribbean, are lured by false promises of work and end up being subjected to forced labor or sexual exploitation. Ethiopian women are coerced into domestic servitude.

Arms Trafficking: Despite not having any established arms trafficking groups, Equatorial Guinea plays a significant role as a transit country for the smuggling of small arms to neighboring states.
Piracy and Maritime Crimes: The illicit trade in weapons fuels piracy, with most weapons entering West Africa through Equatorial Guinea’s unsecured borders.

Illegal Logging: Much of Equatorial Guinea’s continental portion is covered by dense tropical rainforests that have long been plundered to source illegal flora and fauna.
Threats to Fauna: Unsustainable hunting practices, particularly on Bioko Island, home to several threatened primate species, pose significant threats to fauna.

Cannabis: Cannabis is consumed at all levels of Equatorial Guinean society and is the most common drug in the country. Some cannabis grown in Equatorial Guinea is trafficked to Gabon.
Heroin: There is no substantial evidence to suggest significant consumption or trafficking within the country, but diplomats from Equatorial Guinea have been implicated in heroin smuggling, and some heroin may still transit through the country.

State-Embedded Criminal Actors: State-embedded criminal actors, including high-level officials, dominate the criminal landscape in Equatorial Guinea.
North Korean Entities: Several North Korean entities were situated within Equatorial Guinea’s forests until 2018.
Lebanese Families: Lebanese families have significant influence over the logging and transport sectors.

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo: President since 1979, described as one of Africa’s longest-reigning and most brutal dictators.
Government as Kleptocracy: Widely regarded as a kleptocracy, with corrupt leaders exploiting people and natural resources at the expense of the population.

Human Trafficking: Equatorial Guinea is a hub for human trafficking.
Weak Enforcement: Despite being a signatory to various international legal instruments, enforcement remains weak. Human rights abuses continue, with no substantial progress made in addressing the root causes of these violations.