Hawzah News Agency – Speaking on Tuesday evening on the sidelines of the Sixth Summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Qatar, Ayatollah Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi met with Equatorial Guinea President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, saying that beyond the rich resources of Africa, African countries have hard-working people who can play an effective role in developing the continent, saying, "Western countries have only plundered the rich resources and manpower of Africa for several centuries".
The president added, "Western countries have maintained their colonial spirit and have only changed their colonial methods".
Stating that the Islamic Republic of Iran believes that Africa has great potential for progress, he said, "We are ready to cooperate and develop relations with African countries in various fields, including the export of technical and engineering services to these countries, including Equatorial Guinea".
Reacting to statements by the President of Equatorial Guinea that none of the European countries have provided significant assistance to the country to fight coronavirus and that a significant number of its people have died as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the President stated, "In Iran, if we had not made the vaccine ourselves, the Westerners would not have given us the vaccine. But today 6 companies in Iran produce COVID-19 vaccines".
Ayatollah Raisi called on the Foreign Minister to make the necessary plans to hold a meeting of the Joint Cooperation Commission with Equatorial Guinea as soon as possible, noting, "We will certainly use all available capacities and areas to expand relations with Equatorial Guinea".
In another part of his speech, the President said, "Western countries and the United States have only pursued their own interests wherever they have gone, but African countries should not allow the Western countries and the United States to play a role on the African continent".
In this meeting, the Equatorial Guinea President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo described Iran as a great country, saying "African countries have been colonised by Western countries for years and today they need to work with countries like Iran to benefit from their rich resources to the benefit of the African peoples".
The President of Equatorial Guinea added, "Western countries have no good will in their relations with African countries, and even if they provide us with limited assistance, they will immediately make this assistance conditional on actions by African countries to serve their own interests".