Public Health Community Opposes UNESCO-Obiang Prize

Today, leading scientists, public health organizations, and professionals from around the world have joined with the Open Society Institute to condemn a UNESCO prize named for the dictator of Equatorial Guinea.

In a joint letter (available below) sent to Director-General Bokova, as well as Executive Board members, signatories called on UNESCO to abolish the Obiang Nguema Mbasogo International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences, named for and funded by the president of Equatorial Guinea.

"We believe the most perfunctory examination of President Obiang’s record on human rights and meeting the needs of the people makes it clear that he is cynically attempting to use UNESCO to legitimize his abusive regime," said the letter.

Thirty years after Mr. Obiang declared himself President of Equatorial Guinea and fifteen years since the discovery of oil, the country has the highest GDP per capita on the continent. Yet health indicators reflect shockingly poor governance and widespread suffering. Equatorial Guinea has the fourth worst under-5 mortality ranking in the world, according to UNICEF. The government spends only seven percent of its total expenditure on health, ranking 153 of the 191 states measured by UNDP.

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