Equatorial Guinea gains its first female prime minister

© Ludovic Marin/Copyright 2019 The AP. All rights reserved. FILE: Equatorial Guinean president Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in Paris, November 12 2019

Equatorial Guinea has gained its first female prime minister after Manuela Roka Botey was appointed to the post by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Botey had been the Minister for National Education, University Education and Sports since August 2020. She was also the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Letters and Social Sciences at the National University of Equatorial Guinea. 

"For the first time in Equatorial Guinea, a woman is appointed prime minister," tweeted the vice-president and son of the head of state, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, alias Teodorin. "This is further proof of the commitment to gender equality (...) in the country," he said.

Botey replaces former Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Obama Asue who held this position for nearly eight years.

Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by Obiang Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo since 1979 when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema in a coup.

Now 80 years old, Obiang is the world's longest-serving head of state, excluding monarchs.

His regime is regularly accused by international NGOs and Western capitals of repressing all opposition and flouting human rights while also being blamed for endemic corruption.