The Council on Foreign Relations Ghana (CFR Ghana) will on Thursday, September 9, 2021 host a virtual conference on the current political situation in Guinea and possible ways forward.
The conference, on the theme; “Guinea in crisis; which way forward?”, will have two main discussants; Mr Anthony Ohemeng-Boamah, UN Resident Coordinator for the Republic of Mauritania and Dr K.O Amaning, a former UN Resident Coordinator to Guinea, sharing their thoughts on happenings in the West African country.
Senior Mediation Advisers at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs as well as current and former diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration are expected to participate in the conference.
Predominantly an Islamic country and former French Colony, Guinea on Sunday, September 5, 2021, suffered a coup d’etat as Military men overthrew President Alpha Conde, suspending the country’s constitution.
In a broadcast on state TV, a group of soldiers led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, a bodyguard to the President, announced the dissolution of the constitution, closure of Guinea’s borders and a nationwide curfew.
They cited rampant corruption, human rights abuses and mismanagement of the economy a reasons for their seizure of power.
In pictures circulating on social media, 83-year-old Alpha Condé who has been President of Guinea since December 2010 and was in his third term in office after winning presidential elections in 2020, was seen captured by the soldiers looking disheveled, away from the usual suit-draped individual he is known for publicly.
Col Doumbouya has announced however that a new “union” government would be formed in the coming weeks and that Ministers who served in Mr Condé’s government would not be witch-hunted.
Meanwhile, international organisations such as the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as well as other independent governments have condemned the military coup in Guinea and called for release of the country’s president.
Guinea’s coup is the fourth time West Africa has witnessed an attempt to undermine democracy in the region since August 2020.
There have been two military takeovers in Mali and a failed attempt in Niger.
BY TIMES REPORTER
