Equatorial Guinea: a link between Africa, Iberian Peninsula and Latin America

Abstract

In the past, exchanges between Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America were reduced to Atlantic slave trade. Sub-Saharan Africa supplied slaves for plantations in Latin America. The abolition of slavery, the presence of Afro-descendants, the independence of Latin American and African countries changed the relations between the two regions of the world. For historic and linguistic reasons, Equatorial Guinea is a link between Africa, Iberian Peninsula and Latin America. In 1984, the international Hispanic and African Congress of Culture took place in Bata. In 2013, Malabo hosted the third Africa and South America Summit. During the same period, Equatorial Guinea joined Portuguese speaking countries community. In 2011, the country adopted Portuguese as its third official language. In 2014, Equatorial Guinea became full member of Portuguese speaking countries organization. This article analyses origins and impact of the international Hispanic and African Congress of Culture of 1984. Then, it studies issues and perspectives of Africa and South America Summit of 2013. To that end, it relies on archive documents, interviews and political speeches.