Foreign relations of Guinea

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The foreign relations of Guinea, including those with its West African neighbors, have improved steadily since 1985.[1]

Diplomatic history

Guinea re-established relations with France and West Germany in 1975, and with neighboring Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal in 1978. Guinea has been active in efforts toward regional integration and cooperation, especially regarding the Organisation of African Unity and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Guinea participates actively in the deliberations and decisions of a variety of international organizations.

Guinea has participated in both diplomatic and military efforts to resolve conflicts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau, and contributed contingents of troops to peacekeeping operations in all three countries as part of ECOMOG, the Military Observer Group of ECOWAS.[2] Guinea has offered asylum to over 700,000 Liberian, Sierra Leonean, and Bissauan refugees since 1990, despite the economic and environmental costs involved.

Guinea is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the United States military (as covered under Article 98).[3]

2009 ambassador recall

On 5 May 2009, President Moussa Dadis Camara, who seized power in a bloodless coup which followed the 22 December 2008 death of President Lansana Conté, announced the recall of 30 of Guinea's ambassadors to other countries.[4] The order was made by a presidential decree on state television and was the first major diplomatic move made by the new leader.[4]

The decision affected ambassadors to the United States, the People's Republic of China, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Egypt, South Africa, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Cuba, Switzerland, Serbia, Malaysia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Senegal, Nigeria, Libya, Ghana, Algeria, Morocco, Gabon, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, comprising almost all of Guinea's foreign embassies.[4][5][6] The Guinean representatives to the European Union, the United Nations and the African Union were also affected.[4][5]

No reason was stated for the recall.[5] The Tocqueville Connection states: "Most of the ambassadors were appointed by former prime minister Lansana Kouyaté, in office from February 2007 until May 2008,"[5] raising the possibility that the recall was an attempt on the part of Camara to distance himself from the previous government.

In late March 2009, the Guinean ambassador to Serbia faced expulsion for personal involvement in cigarette smuggling (1,000 packs of cigarettes were found in his BMW) but avoided arrest due to diplomatic immunity (although he was declared as persona non grata).[7]

Bilateral relations

China

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Guinea established diplomatic relations on October 14, 1959.[8]

Pakistan

At the moment Pakistan does not maintain diplomatic relations.

United States

Guinea became the first French African colony to gain independence, on 2 October 1958, at the cost of the immediate cessation of all French assistance.

After a temporary suspension due to nationwide political unrest in early 2007, the Peace Corps program in Guinea resumed operations at the end of July. Prior to the suspension, Peace Corps had more than 100 volunteers throughout the country, and the program is gradually increasing its numbers again. Volunteers work in four project areas: secondary education, environment/agro-forestry, public health and HIV/AIDS prevention, and small enterprise development. Guinea has also had a strong Crisis Corps program through the last few years.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of State (Background Notes).

See also

References

  1. ↑ Background Note: Guinea, US Department of State, February 2009
  2. ↑ ECOMOG: peacekeeper or participant?, BBC News Online, February 11, 1998
  3. ↑ Status of US Bilateral Immunity Agreements (BIAs). Coalition of the International Criminal Court
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Sillah, Alhassan (6 May 2009). "Guinea recalls 30 ambassadors, from US to China". Seattle Times. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Guinea junta recalls 30 ambassadors". The Tocqueville Connection. 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  6. ↑ "World Digest". Hometown Annapolis. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  7. ↑ Ambasador Gvineje švercovao cigarete
  8. ↑ http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/focac/183525.htm