Equatorial Guinea, September 2025
Equatorial Guinea joins the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD)
On September 11, an online meeting was held between Equatorial Guinea and the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD), marking a decisive step towards the country’s integration into this initiative.
An Official Membership Underway
The meeting began with congratulations to the Government of Equatorial Guinea for its official letter requesting membership in CARD. This reflects the country’s strong political will to engage in the regional dynamic of rice sector development.
The National Vision for Diversification
During the exchanges, His Excellency the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forests, Fisheries and Environment presented the government’s vision for agricultural diversification. Rice was confirmed as a priority sector in the national program due to its strategic role in:
- Economic diversification
• Development of a local rice industry
• Ensuring sustainable and competitive national production
Commitments and Next Steps
It should be noted that Equatorial Guinea has already participated in two working weeks (February 2025 in Yaoundé, Cameroon and September 2025 in Libreville, Gabon) on the elaboration of the Regional Rice Development Strategy for Central Africa with ECCAS.
Two key decisions were made:
• Nomination of the CARD Focal Point: an official letter will be sent before the end of September to CARD, to allow Equatorial Guinea’s participation in the 10th General Assembly of CARD (GM10), planned for October 2025 in Madagascar.
• Establishment of a national Task Force: responsible for supporting the development and monitoring of the National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS).
A Decisive Step Towards Regional Integration
This meeting confirmed Equatorial Guinea’s commitment to strengthening its food security through the development of the rice sector. It also represents an important step in the country’s joining CARD, paving the way for structured cooperation and enhanced technical support. Equatorial Guinea’s membership will be formalized during the CARD General Meeting to be held from October 27 to 30, 2025, in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
