Speaking to journalists Friday February 10th, Chambas declared 2012 to be a ‘year of restoration’, underlining plans to enhance the ACP as a ‘forward-looking international organisation.’

In 2012, the Group will focus on strengthening South-South solidarity and collaboration, intensifying attention on the Millennium Development Goals, advancing sustainable development programmes in ACP communities, and boosting the collective voice of ACP countries and their role as a group in the global arena.

‘The ACP Council of Ministers took the decision late last year to hold the 7th ACP Heads of State Summit in 2012. A theme has yet to be set, although a task force has been appointed to mobilise preparations for this meeting. As the ACP has not had a Heads of State Summit since 2008, we will certainly have a lot to talk about,’ remarked the Secretary General.

Key achievements for the Group in 2011 include the first ever symposium on South-South relations between the ACP and IBSA states – India, Brazil and South Africa.

The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) is comprised of six countries located in Central Africa; Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Congo. These countries offer investment opportunities in strategic sectors of their economies, ranging from telecommunications to urban planning and construction.

The conference focused on presenting the positive potentials these countries offer, whilst also discussing the progress and advancements individuals governments have been able to achieve. These include promoting both economic and political development in line with the specific needs of their communities, as well as looking to bridge the current gap that exists with countries in the northern hemisphere.

Many European investors have recently turned to Africa, mainly Central Africa, to explore the possibility of investment. They have looked to support local economies whilst also benefiting from various petroleum operations. At present, Cameroon offers significant agricultural potential whilst countries such as Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo offer the possibility of natural gas explorations.

With the CEMAC region currently in the process of a political and economic renewal, better governance is being implemented, and the introduction of social developments are being explored, enabling continual progress and moving away from political instability and corruption.

With more countries across the African region becoming open to the prospect of tourism (CAN 2012), guest speaker Robert Tashima of the Oxford Business Group said, ‘the potential to stimulate revenue growth is enormous, particularly in light of the rich biodiversity of the region.’

However, the conference highlighted CMO London’s belief that the most important change is the need to listen to Africa’s diverse population and for Africans themselves to be proud of their ethnic background to enable continual growth within the region.

The strides currently undertaken by governments in the region, supported and publicised by CMO London, are bound to make business opportunities a reality and enable the CEMAC area to break free and become a destination for serious investors around the globe.

CMO London annual conference 2011 has been a success for the organisers and the special guests and in particular to the CEMAC region.

More than half of the numbers for both statistics were provided by the North African countries now undergoing revolutions or substantial protests. Libya, which currently does not release details of those it has executed, provided the most with at least 18 executions by the State along with an unknown amount of death sentences handed out. Algeria remains the only North African state where the pre-existing regime looks relatively safe leaving its figures of 330 sentenced to death looking all the more ominous considering the protests that took place there earlier this year.

The outlook further south in sub-Saharan Africa is more positive. Yet despite Gabon’s decision to abolish the death penalty four countries were know to carry out executions in ’10 compared to just 2 in ’09. Added to this 24 countries issued death penalties in ’10.

Signs of progress though did come, as Cameroonian President Paul Biya signed a decree commuting death sentences in the country for a second year. However the report shows the decree excluded from the commutation people who had been sentenced for capital murder, aggravated theft and recidivist offenders, among others.

Equatorial Guinea was one country to reuse the death penalty in ’10. Although they saw only 4 executions, it was the brutal manor in how they were conducted that was so alarming. The four prisoners were all put to death within an hour of their trial having taken place by a military court. They were charged with treason and terrorism in relation to an attack on the Presidential Palace in February ’09. Although the number of deaths is comparatively small, compared to say China, it is the manner of the trial and execution in this case that is so shocking. As well as being put to death within an hour, none of the accused were present at the trial nor did the trial meet international standards on fairness and the right to appeal to a higher court which is also enshrined in the country’s national law. In addition to this they were kept incommunicado throughout their time in prison and reports circulate that torture was used to acquiesce their confession.

On the whole the continent seems to have gone back with regard to the death penalty. And although many countries are not using it, it remains a possibility. Examples like the Equatorial Guinea show that retetionist countries can all too easily deploy the death penalty whilst violating international standards. Ideally more progress should be made to join Gabon in abolishing the death penalty. However more limited goals such as seeing it removed for all but the most serious crimes and ensuring fair trials for the accused are still difficult targets and if achieved would indicate tremendous progress.

Most of the investment in the country’s multi-billion dollar oil industry comes from the United States. ExxonMobil, Hess and Marathon are all there. Right now, the U.S. imports up to 100,000 barrels of oil a day from Equatorial Guinea, or about a quarter of the country’s oil production.

Oil money gives the country the means to be a model for development and human rights. The economy is nearly 130 times as big as it was when oil was discovered in 1995. But as a report released by Human Rights Watch today details, the government has squandered or stolen much of the money at the expense of its people.

It is a sad contrast, since the country has a per capita income comparable to Spain’s or Italy’s and development indicators more like Afghanistan’s. For just one sad example, infant and child mortality actually has increased — from an already-dismal 103 deaths per thousand in 1990 to 124 per thousand in 2007. Similarly, under-5 mortality rates increased from 170 per thousand in 1990 to 206 per thousand in 2007.

The president and his family are doing just fine, though. They lead lavish lifestyles while most people live in crushing poverty.

A series of corruption scandals involving government officials and their families will give you some idea of how bad it is.

In 2004, a U.S. Senate investigation into the country’s dealings with the now-defunct Riggs Bank detailed how President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo used the country’s oil wealth to finance numerous personal transactions, including spending $3.8 million to buy two mansions in a suburb of Washington, D.C. That investigation led to one of the largest fines against a bank in U.S. history, and ultimately the bank’s takeover.

Obiang’s eldest son, Teodorin, bought a $35 million property in California in 2006. In 2004, he spent about $8.45 million for mansions and luxury cars in South Africa. His only known income was a $4,000 monthly salary as a government minister. His $43.45 million in spending on his lavish lifestyle from 2004 to 2006 was more than the $43 million the government spent on education in 2005.

The people of Equatorial Guinea have no way to hold their government accountable. Obiang has been in power since 1979, when he deposed his uncle in a coup. The government severely curtails press freedom and independent civil society, and the political opposition is weak and faces constant government harassment, intimidation, and arrests. In the most recent parliamentary elections in May 2008, Obiang and his allies won 99 out of 100 seats.

Unless the Obama administration makes it clear to Equatorial Guinea’s leaders that they must share the oil wealth with the country’s people , the human cost of the oil that the US imports from that country will continue to be staggering.