Equatorial Guinea’s Year of Investment is adopting a new outreach strategy in light of the ongoing global outbreak of the coronavirus. The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons (MMH) has decided to postpone the Africa Oil & Investment Forum (AOIF) and Exhibition initially planned to take place on June 1st, to November 25th and 26th, 2020. The AOIF is then being merged with the Africa Economic Forum, set to take place in Malabo next November.
The move is part of a revised strategy that will allow Equatorial Guinea to maintain the pace of its engagement with global investors under its Year of Investment while accommodating ongoing travel restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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Travel restrictions
“The investment outreach of Equatorial Guinea remains in full swing, but we understand that the coronavirus outbreak comes with increasing travel restrictions. As a result, we will continue our negotiations with investors under a more targeted approach and keep the number of conferences in Malabo to a minimum,” said H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons.
The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to advise against the application of travel or trade restrictions to countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks. Recommendations for personal hygiene, cough etiquette and keeping a distance of at least one meter from persons showing symptoms remain particularly important for all travelers, have also been advised. Everyone returning from affected areas should be screened at entry points and self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days and follow national protocols of receiving countries. Some countries may require returning travelers to enter quarantine.
