Javier Balboa could star for Equatorial Guinea in 2012

Ehsus Ndong, a former Equatorial Guinea international and a member of the 2012 Local Organising Committee, feels that his country's links with its former colonisers Spain means the tournament will have a different feel to it.

"It's not going to be just a football tournament - it's going to be a festival," he explained to BBC Sport.

"We are a Spanish speaking country so people who come here will see a different culture from other African countries.

"They'll see we love people, that we enjoy life - they will enjoy us."

Equatorial Guinea have never qualified for the Nations Cup let alone a World Cup and have very few well-known players plying their trade in Europe.

The two exceptions at the moment are Rodolfo Bodipo, who plays for Spanish La Liga side Deportivo La Coruna and Javier Balboa, who has just joined Portugal's Benfica.

Despite this Ndong hopes the Nations Cup will prove to be a catalyst for the country's youth.

We are developing, we are building roads, bridges and houses - we are rebuilding our country Ehsus Ndong, member of the 2012 Local Organising Committee

"It's going to change the mentality of our leaders, our people and the youth particularly," he predicted.

"At the moment they don't care too much about sports because they can't see the benefits.

"They'll start to see what it takes to be a star, when you see it on TV its a different from seeing it face-to-face.

"Because when you watch the best you always want to watch the best.

"So many of our youths are leaving the game early, I know many young people who take time to go to school and then enjoy life - drinking alcohol and women - instead of keeping focussed."

Ndong, who is popularly known as N'dongito, admits Equatorial Guinea has little experience in planning such a tournament.

"Frankly we are very inexperienced, we've never been in the Nations Cup before and our neighbours like Gabon and Cameroon haven't hosted the tournament recently," Ndong told BBC Sport.

"But some members of our committee have travelled a lot and watched tournaments and the Confederation of African Football (Caf) are always ready to assist when you are not capable."

He also insisted that improvements to the country's infrastructure are already well underway.

"We are already in full construction, we are developing, we are building roads, bridges and houses - we are rebuilding our country," he pointed out.

"The stadium in the capital Malabo will be expanded as will the one in the commercial capital Bata.

"We feel that it is better to use two well equipped stadiums and so they will be full of fans.

"We are only a small country so it's no use us building a stadium with 40,000 seats."