The Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, Francisco Pascual Obama Asue, officially opened the 2020 West and Central Africa Regional Planning Meeting (RPM) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) that took place today, 25th February 2020 at the Anda China Hotel, Malabo.
The opening ceremony was attended by a high powered government delegation made up of six ministers besides the Prime Minister and some civil society representatives as well as the media. On the part of UNFPA, in attendance were senior management staff from all 23 country offices, the regional office and headquarters.
In his remarks Prime Minister Obama Asue expressed delight in the remarkable progress made on reproductive health in general, and women and girls’ health in particular, as well as women’s empowerment. He noted that maternal mortality has significantly reduced through improved access to facilities and capacity building of health personnel. while working with the United Nations, and most especially with the UNFPA. “The peace we enjoy made developmental progress simple in our country, I must thank UNFPA especially for being a strong partner in providing us with the needed support.” He also emphasized on his country’s commitment to the ICPD25 Nairobi Summit.
On his part, UNFPA Regional Director, Mabingue Ngom, commended the government of Equatorial Guinea for its collaboration with the organization in addressing maternal health issues and in harnessing the demographic dividend. He called for even greater partnership to mainstream and accelerate the realization of ICPD25 commitments and UNFPA’s transformative results (3 Zeros) to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The Regional Director equally commended the partnership between UNFPA and the private sector. “I told the Prime Minister, it was a coincidence that we were meeting a few meters from the headquarters of Noble Energy Oil Company with whom we signed a partnership agreement to improve quality of lives of women and girls. This is one of the largest public-private partnerships that we have signed not only in Africa but across the globe” – Mabingue Ngom highlighted the MoU signed between Noble Energy Oil Company and UNFPA, with the facilitation of the government.
Welcoming the delegates, UNFPA Resident Representative of Equatorial Guinea, Mady Biaye, expressed gratitude for the good hospitality and secured environment provided by the government of Equatorial Guinea in hosting the 2020 RPM, and thanked the government for the continuous support. The RPM will be ongoing right through to the 27th of February 2020.
