Ciudad de la Paz

Ciudad de la Paz
Urban district
Highway construction in Ciudad de la Paz
Nickname(s): Oyala
Ciudad de la Paz
Coordinates: 1°35′20″N 10°49′21″E / 1.58889°N 10.82250°E / 1.58889; 10.82250Coordinates: 1°35′20″N 10°49′21″E / 1.58889°N 10.82250°E / 1.58889; 10.82250
Country  Equatorial Guinea
Province Djibloho
Estimated completion 2020
Government
 • Mayor Florentino Ncogo Ndong
Area[1]
 • Total 81.5 km2 (31.5 sq mi)
Elevation 454 m (1,490 ft)
Time zone WAT
Climate As

Ciudad de la Paz is a city in Equatorial Guinea that is being built to replace Malabo as the national capital.[2][3][4] Established as an urban district in Wele-Nzas in 2015,[5] it is now the administrative headquarters of Djibloho, Equatorial Guinea's newest province created in 2017, and is located near the town of Mengomeyén.[6] In 2017, the city was officially renamed Ciudad de la Paz ("City of Peace").[7][8]

The planned city's location was chosen for its easy access and benign climate. It was designed by the Portuguese Studio for Architecture and Urbanism FAT – Future Architecture Thinking. It is projected to have around 200,000 inhabitants,[9] a new Congress building, a number of presidential villas and an area of 8150 hectares.[10][11] The construction of this new capital has been criticised by the political opposition to President Teodoro Obiang, the driving force behind the initiative. The Government of Equatorial Guinea began to move to the city in early 2017.[12]

Location

Ciudad de la Paz is located near the centre of Río Muni, the continental part of Equatorial Guinea. It is located between the cities of Bata and Mongomo and 20 km from the airport of Mengomeyen. The power supply relies upon the 120 MW Djibloho Dam in the district Djibloho Evinayong.[13]

Planning and construction

Jungle at Oyala
Bridge on the scheduled presidential residence (2010)

In the middle of the undeveloped jungle, the government plans to build a new city as the future seat of government.[14][9] It will be the headquarters of the president, government, administration, police and military leadership[14] and replace the current capital Malabo. The city is being designed to house 160,000–200,000 people, living in an area of 81.5 km². This corresponds to about a quarter of the population of Equatorial Guinea.

A golf course, a university, and a luxury hotel were finished in 2013 and a six-lane highway is almost complete.[14] In planning are government buildings, a financial district and residential areas. Three bridges and highways have been completed or are under construction (see picture left). There will be a connection between the city and the new airport in Mengomeyen (the home of the president). The strategic importance of the port city of Bata will be developed for the neighbouring Gabon and for Central Africa. For the highways huge jungle areas were cleared and lanes blown up (see picture left). The Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (AICEP) said the city should use renewable energy and be sustainable.

Funding is provided through the AICEP. The plans come from a Portuguese architectural office.[15] By 2020, the city will be completed.[14] The construction work will be supported by Poland, Brazil and North Korea.[14] Construction faces delays such as, according to unconfirmed reports, President Obiang ordering a building to be moved because he did not like the view.[14] Additionally, all materials are imported.[14]

Urban design

The city was designed by the Portuguese urban architecture FAT - Future Architecture Thinking. Estimates of its ultimate population size have been revised from 65,000 initially[16] to between 160,000 and 200,000.[1]

The city will be built on an area of 8,150 hectares (81.5 km2 or 20,100 acres)[10][11] According to FAT, the Djibloho project "combines modernity and respect for the cultural roots of the country, promoting local identity and the richness of the ecosystem in which it operates, prioritizing sustainability in the most varied aspects" stressing that "this project aims to create the first global capital entirely dependent on renewable and sustainable energy."

Participating companies

  • Director of Planning, roads, highways and urban network diagram: Egis Route, Vinci SA[17]
  • Perimeter Highway: ARG
  • Bridges: Vinci SA, Bouygues, Besix, General Works
  • Buildings: Piccini
  • Universities: Unicon
  • Regional Parliament: Summa
  • Presidential Palace: Seguibat

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "El Gobierno de Guinea Ecuatorial se muda de Malabo a Oyala" (in Spanish). 11 February 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  2. ↑ Fortin, Jacey (19 December 2012). "Poverty-Stricken Equatorial Guinea Builds Expensive Capital City In The Middle Of Nowhere".
  3. ↑ Empresas portuguesas planeiam nova capital da Guiné Equatorial. africa21digital.com. 5 November 2011
  4. ↑ Atelier luso desenha futura capital da Guiné Equatorial Archived 15 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine.. boasnoticias.pt. 5 November 2011
  5. ↑ "Solemn inauguration of the new city of Djibloho". Equatorial Guinea Press and Information Office. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  6. ↑ Equatorial Guinea’s Future Capital City/IDF– Ideias do Futuro|ArchDaily
  7. ↑ "Prime Minister presents draft laws before Chamber of Deputies". Equatorial Guinea Press and Information Office. 25 February 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "Swearing-in of new offices for directors at Ministry for National Defence". Equatorial Guinea Press and Information Office. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  9. 1 2 Oyala, una nueva capital para la megalomanía de Obiang. abc.es. 26 December 2012
  10. 1 2 Arquitetos portugueses projetam nova capital para Guiné Equatorial Archived 10 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine.. piniweb.com.br. 10 November 2011
  11. 1 2 Mauricio Lima (4 November 2011) Ateliê português desenha futura capital da Guiné Equatorial. greensavers.pt.
  12. ↑ BBC Equatorial Guinea government moves to new city in rainforest
  13. ↑ Mines Minister visits the site of Djibloho. guineaecuatorialpress.com. 16 September 2010
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stephen Sackur (17 December 2012). "BBC News: Equatorial Guinea: Obiang's future capital, which was then known as Oyala". Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  15. ↑ Djibloho – Equatorial Guinea’s Future Capital City / IDF – Ideias do Futuro . archdaily.com
  16. ↑ AFP (2 December 2011). "Guinée équatoriale: grands travaux pour convert a village in métropole". Romandie News. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  17. ↑ Muriel Devey (14 May 2012). "Guinée équatoriale – BTP: Oyala, la folie des grandeurs". jeuneafrique.com.
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