Obiang sworn in as Equatorial Guinea's president

Teodoro Obiang Nguema was sworn in for his sixth term as Equatorial Guinea's president on Friday in the capital Malabo.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at Sipopo International Conference Center, attended by around 1,000 people including some heads of states and governments and special envoys from several countries.

In his inaugural speech, Obiang appealed to all Equatorial Guineans to work as a team to ensure national security and contribute to the development of the country.

Obiang said Equatorial Guinea's oil-dependent economy should be diversified for better development and for that reason he said the country should promote agriculture, fishing, forestry, tourism and any other sectors that involve job creation.

Obiang said his next seven-year term will be crucial as Equatorial Guinea will be built into an "emerging economy".

Obiang won the elections held on April 24 with 93.7 percent of the vote.

Obiang led a coup in August 1979, which toppled the then leader and his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema.

He was elected president for the first time in 1982, then re-elected in 1989, 1996, 2002, 2009 and 2016, each time with more than 90 percent of votes cast.

Equatorial Guinea is the third largest oil producer after Nigeria and Angola in sub-Saharan Africa, with a population of around one million. Endit