Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- Equatorial Guinean President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in a speech at a meeting on September 1 called for eradicating backwardness and poverty in the near future and making progress.

In order to develop the economy of the country it is necessary to channel efforts into the grain production, stockbreeding and other fields and rapidly improve the infrastructure including ports and roads, not depending on oil only, he noted.

It is also imperative to develop public health and education and settle the issues of drinking water and housing, he said. To this end all the people should unite and contribute to the state development, he stressed.