The Vice President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, pardoned two Italian citizens previously imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea.
The move received wide praise from Italian officials, including the Ambassador of Italy to Equatorial Guinea and the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Angelino Alfano.
The Vice President, who is also Head of State Defense and Security, is focused on strengthening national security and policing operations.
Equatorial Guinea enjoys strong relations with Italy, including an education agreement with the University of Perugia, scientific workshops with amphibian experts in regards to the biodiversity of Bioko Island, and food access and hunger issues with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) based in Italy.