Equatorial Guinea’s Fight Against Organized Crime, Corruption, and Human Trafficking: A Comprehensive Overview
Key Findings and Challenges
The report provides a comprehensive overview of Equatorial Guinea’s performance in addressing organized crime, corruption, and human trafficking. The following are the key findings and challenges:
- Lack of Enforcement: Despite having ratified international legal instruments pertaining to anti-corruption and organized crime, Equatorial Guinea has not fully implemented measures to enforce them.
- Weak Judicial System: The judicial system is not independent, and there are no specialized judicial units to counter organized crime. This leads to a scarcity of convictions for traffickers and prosecution of trafficking cases.
- Poor Law Enforcement: Law enforcement has limited presence in major cities and rural areas, often engaging in extortion. National security forces are accused of engaging in torture and other violent acts with impunity.
- Weak Anti-Money Laundering Laws: The implementation and enforcement of anti-money laundering laws are weak, and officials have been investigated by foreign authorities for money laundering and corruption.
- Difficult Business Environment: Equatorial Guinea is one of the worst countries to conduct business in due to pervasive corruption, risks of extortion, and onerous bureaucratic procedures.
Limitations and Restrictions
The report highlights several limitations and restrictions that hinder efforts to combat organized crime, corruption, and human trafficking:
- Limited Civil Society: There are no independent NGOs in the country, and witness protection mechanisms do not exist. The government has been trying to prevent human trafficking through awareness campaigns and training for security forces.
- Restrictions on Media and Freedom of Association: The government imposes restrictive conditions on the registration and operation of NGOs, and freedom of association and assembly is severely curtailed.
- Censorship and Surveillance: There is no independent media in the country, and censorship is deeply implemented. Domestic broadcast media is restricted, and foreign journalists face heavy restrictions.
Recommendations for Improvement
The report emphasizes the need for Equatorial Guinea to strengthen its legal framework, improve law enforcement, and enhance civil society participation to effectively address organized crime, corruption, and human trafficking. This includes:
- Implementing effective anti-corruption measures
- Strengthening the judicial system and establishing specialized units to counter organized crime
- Improving law enforcement presence in major cities and rural areas
- Enhancing anti-money laundering laws and their enforcement
- Promoting a favorable business environment through reducing corruption and bureaucratic procedures
- Encouraging civil society participation through supporting independent NGOs and witness protection mechanisms
- Protecting freedom of association, assembly, and the media