Equatorial Guinea fights France over Paris mansion sale

Equatorial Guinea is refusing to leave a luxury Paris mansion that French authorities have put up for sale, deepening a diplomatic standoff over a building that has served as the west African country's embassy for 15 years.

The more than 100-room building at 42 Avenue Foch in the upscale 16th district of western Paris was formally put up for sale in June as part of a French judicial investigation into ill-gotten wealth. Equatorial Guinea diplomats still occupy its upper floors and have defied a Paris court order to vacate the premises.

The former owner was Equatorial Guinea Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, known as Teodorin or Teddy, the son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The building became the embassy in 2011 and was formally confiscated in 2021 when Teodorin was sentenced by French courts to three years of suspended imprisonment and a 30 million euro fine for misuse of assets.

According to the French justice system, his spending did not match his official income, and millions vanished from the public treasury and were transferred to his personal accounts.

Teodorin condemned the forced sale in June as “illegal” and warned that Equatorial Guinea could take “sovereign” retaliation measures, up to breaking off diplomatic relations.

Equatorial Guinea has taken the dispute to the International Court of Justice, but the Hague-based court has twice ruled in France's favour. French authorities have disabled security cameras and changed locks in the building, but not on the fourth and fifth floors, which are occupied by the ambassador, two first secretaries, the military attache and the head of protocol.

French authorities want the sale completed by December, and a court order allows the eviction of the diplomatic staff. A French government source said Paris wants to avoid a forced eviction in front of cameras.

The dispute also touches French interests in Equatorial Guinea, including a naval school at the port of Tica that was established as a joint venture to train regional naval forces. A source close to Equatorial Guinea's authorities said they were serious about retaliation.