The President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea occupies the Head of State, embodies National Unity and represents the entire nation. He is the Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces and State Security. It is elected by universal, direct and secret suffrage, by a relative majority of votes validly cast for a term of seven renewable years.

Since August 3, 1979, the Presidency of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea is occupied by HE Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. His intervention to overthrow President Francisco Macías, during whose dictatorship the country suffered a period of internal isolation, crimes and massive exiles, led him to assume the first Presidency in 1979. Since then, Equatorial Guinea enjoys the period of peace, stability and development The most fruitful of its history, being today one of the countries with the highest per capita income in Africa and those with the most advanced and modern infrastructures.

He was born on June 5, 1942 in the town of Akoakam-Esangui, district of Mongomo, in the bosom of a large family. In 1950 he began his studies and in 1958 he entered the School Group «Cardenal Cisneros» of Ebebiyin where he was baptized into the Catholic faith. In the same year, he enrolled in the La Salle de Bata Center where he completed the Administrative Labor Baccalaureate and held the position of monitor of the center.

In 1963 he was selected to take a cadet course of the Territorial Guard and, months later, he entered the General Military Academy of Zaragoza. Two years later he received the office of Alférez of the Territorial Guard of Equatorial Guinea, being assigned first to Mikomeseng and later to Bata and Malabo (old Santa Isabel).

From that moment his career is driven by continuous promotions: in 1969 he is appointed Lieutenant of the National Guard; in 1970, General Director of Planning and Procurement of the Ministry of National Defense; in 1971, Captain; in 1975, Commander; in 1976, Secretary General of the Ministry of Popular Armed Forces and in 1979, Vice-Minister of the Popular Armed Forces.

On August 3, 1979, accompanied by a group of officers, HE Obiang Nguema Mbasogo led the revolt that some soldiers undertake against the terrifying situation of oppression and violence that existed with then President Francisco Macías. After this fact, denominated from then the Coup of Freedom, on August 18 is elected President of the Supreme Military Council by unanimous decision of the rest of the officers. That same month he signed a decree of pardon for all political prisoners and a general amnesty to ensure the return to the country of the thousands of exiles who remain outside it.

In 1987, HE Obiang Nguema Mbasogo founded the first political party of the new democratic era of the country: the PDGE (Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea). In the first presidential elections of 1989, he was reelected to occupy the post of President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea as a candidate of the then still only party. In 1996, he was re-elected in the first pluralist elections of the new democratic period and in 2002 he again won the electoral victory by a very large majority.

In the elections of November 29, 2009, the PDGE achieved an overwhelming victory with a percentage of 95.37% and more than 260,000 votes in elections marked by a strong mobilization of the electorate that voted massively, as recognized by international observers, in an atmosphere of calm, discipline and dignity. The International Electoral Observation Mission of the ECCAS also expressed that “the freedom, transparency and credibility of the votes dignify the people of Equatorial Guinea in a particular way”.

At present, the President develops an unstoppable political activity, with continuous official visits outside the country that have allowed to strengthen the good relations between Equatorial Guinea and numerous nations in recent years: China, United States, Morocco, Spain, Brazil, Cuba, Argentina … Despite the rumors that from time to time arise from outside of Guinea, at 67 years of age it keeps an enviable health and plays sports every day. In his figure, his long experience of Government meets with the enthusiasm and vitality of thirty years ago.

In addition to the military career, SE has obtained a Law Degree from the National University of Distance Education (UNED) of Spain. He is Doctor Honoris Causa by the National University of Equatorial Guinea (UNGE). Recently, the establishment of the Unesco-Obiang Nguema Mbasogo International Award for Research in Life Sciences has been approved.