BASIC INFORMATION
Full Country Name: The Republic of Guinea
Area: 245,860 sq km (95,00 sq mi)
Population: 9.2 million (2006 UN estimate)
Capital City: Conakry (population: 1.4 million, 2005 UN estimate)
People and languages: The main ethnic groups in Guinea are the Peulh, the
Malinke and the Susu (Soussou). The south-eastern forest region is inhabited by the Kissi,
Loma and Kpelle peoples. French is the official language. Eight languages as are taught in
Guinea' s schools: Basari, Pular, Kissi, Koniagi, Kpelle, Loma, Malinke and Susu (or
Soussou).
Religion(s): Muslim, Christian and traditional beliefs.
Currency: Guinean Franc. (GNF)
Major political parties: The main political parties are: Parti de l'Unite
et du Progres (PUP) (in power); Union pour le Progrès de la Guinée (UPG); Union pour le
Progrès et le Renouveau (UPR); Union des Forces Republicaines (UFR) and the Rassemblement du
Peuple de Guinée (RPG), which is not represented in parliament.
Head of State: President General Lansana Conté
Prime Minister: Lansana Kouyate
Foreign Minister: Abdoul Kabele Camara
Membership of international groupings/organisations: United Nations (UN),
African Union (AU), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS), African Development Bank (AFDB), Mano River Union (MRU).
GEOGRAPHY
Guinea is situated on the West Coast of Africa. It borders Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali,
Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The country can broadly be divided into four zones:
a narrow coastal belt, north-western hill region, central savannah which is source of the
river Niger and the south-eastern rain forest.
HISTORY
Guinea became a French colony in the late nineteenth century. It became independent in
October 1958, two years earlier than the other French African colonies, because it rejected
de Gaulle's offer of membership of the French Community (a short lived structure which gave
France's colonies limited autonomy within the French empire). Guinea was the only country of
the French African Empire to reject de Gaulle's proposal, and the country's historic "Non"
led to it being abandoned by the French who immediately cut all ties. This reinforced a
proud sense of independent nationhood in Guinea which still resonates today.
Sekou Touré, who became the first President, ruled as an autocrat and suppressed
opposition, often on the pretext of defending the country against destabilisation by foreign
powers. Cut off by France, Touré isolated Guinea from Western influence and allied himself
with the Soviet bloc. Hundreds of thousands of Guineans went into exile.
Touré died in 1984, and was succeeded by General Lasana Conté following a bloodless coup.
Conté's moves to initiate a more open style of government were welcomed by the population.
However an attempted coup in July 1985 bought the regime's authoritarian instincts to the
fore - thousands were arrested and dozens executed. Conté soon reverted to the oppressive
methods of the Sekou Touré years.
POLITICS
In 1991 public pressure forced the introduction of a new constitution providing for the
introduction of multiparty politics. The new constitution also put a limit of two terms of
seven years on the Presidential tenure. The 114-member legislature has a five-year term.
However presidential polls were not held until December 1993 and parliamentary elections not
until June 1995. They were won by Conté and his Parti d'Unite et de Progres (PUP). The
country's second presidential election was held in December 1998. Conté won 56.1% of the
71.4% turn out, although both figures were contested by the opposition. An opposition
leader, Alpha Conde, was arrested shortly after the elections, and charged with plotting
against state security. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to 5 years in prison, but
released in May 2001 following a presidential pardon.
In November 2001 Conté put to referendum a change in the constitution to rescind the two
term limit on presidential office. According to the official result 98.4% of voters endorsed
the change, on the basis of a 87.2% turnout. This allowed Conté to run for a third term in
the December 2003 elections, which he won with 95% of the vote, the main opposition leaders
having boycotted the poll. Opposition parties also disputed the validity of the 2002
Parliamentary elections . The opposition regularly claim that the security forces prevent
them from carrying out normal political activities.
On 10 January 2007 the trade union movement initiated a general strike to protest at the
appalling economic conditions in Guinea. The strike was very widely adhered to across the
country. A peaceful march in Conakry on 17 January was violently put down, triggering waves
of violence. While reliable figures are hard to establish, it is clear that well over a
hundred people lost their lives in the ensuing troubles. Following mediation by the regional
organisation ECOWAS, calm was eventually restored and the respected diplomat Lansana Kouyate
was named Prime Minister in late February. Having named his own team, Kouyate has since
worked to reform public administration and raise donor funds for the country. In November
the President signed a decree bringing into existence an independent electoral commission
(CENI). Legislative elections are scheduled for spring of 2008, although it is not clear
exactly when they will be held. The political opposition remain divided and did not play a
prominent role in the crises of 2007, reinforcing the view that the real opposition to the
Conte regime lies with the Unions and their civil society allies.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Guinea's human rights record is poor, and always has been. During the regime of Sekou
Toure, many people were tortured in prison or executed after show trials. Those responsible
have yet to face justice. Under President Conte, human rights abuses continue, although the
situation is far better than under Sekou Toure's regime. Petty corruption by the security
forces and detention without trial are the main concerns. A number of accusations of human
rights abuse have been levelled at the country’s security forces concerning their conduct
during the troubles of January 2007, including by respected international Human Rights
Organisations. No action has been taken by the Guinean Government to establish the facts or
pursue justice.
Although there is a growing independent print media, journalists are often arrested after
writing stories critical of the regime. Until July 2006, all broadcast media are state
owned. A private radio station has now started broadcasting.
Human Rights Annual Report 2006
ECONOMY
Annual Growth: 2.2% (2006 est)
Inflation: 30% (2006 est)
Exchange rate: £1 =9,993 GNF (July 2006)
Major trading partners: Exports: South Korea, European Union, Russia,
Ukraine, United States, Cameroon. Imports: European Union, Cote d'Ivoire, China.
Guinea's economy remains in what the Finance Minister called in February 2005 a “severe
crisis”, although the efforts of the new Prime Ministerand renewed investment in the mineral
sector have bought some relief. Poor relations with the major donors have been a serious
problem. Inflation remains a serious problem, partly due to high fuel prices.
Despite this Guinea remains attractive to international mining companies due to its
extensive mineral resources, including 30% of the world's known bauxite reserves (the raw
material of aluminium), of which it is the world's largest exporter. It also has large iron
ore deposits. Mining provides nearly 80% of Guinea's foreign exchange earnings. Several
Canadian, Russian and multinational companies are currently involved in bauxite mining. The
Canadian company, Global Alumina, has signed an agreement with the government to build a
US$2bn aluminium refinery. One of the largest investment projects in West Africa, it is due
to come on stream in 2008. The Russian company RusAl has negotiated the purchase of the
country's one existing refinery. In April 2006, the British Company Rio Tinto and the
Guinean government signed a concession for the mining of an area of significant iron ore
reserves in the East of the country. Kouyate’s government has recently embarked on a review
of mining contracts, setting up a special committee (CIRCAM) to ensure that the Guinean
government gets a better financial return on international investments.
DEVELOPMENT
The vast majority of Guineans live in poverty. Guinea's socio-economic indicators are
poor. The UNDP Human Development Index for 2006 ranks Guinea 160 out of 177 countries. Life
expectancy is 48.9 years while adult literacy is 41%. Even in towns the provision of water
and electricity is haphazard at best. Problems in rural areas were compounded by an invasion
of locusts in the north-west of the country late in 2004 which damaged local crop
production. Reports continue to indicate food shortages and significant malnourishment.
The UK contributes to UN agencies and to EU humanitarian and development budgets. In
financial year 2005/6, DfID contributed £750,000 in preventative humanitarian assistance.
The UK also works bilaterally with NGOs to promote development, and through the Small Grants
Scheme, administered by the Embassy. Recent projects include producing a guide to preventing
conflicts and supporting a UNICEF/FIFA girl's football project.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Guinea is a member of the Mano River Union (MRU), formed in 1973 to establish a customs
and economic union between the three member states – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Subsequently, members signed a mutual non-aggression pact and pledged to establish a
permanent mechanism for conflict prevention.
However Relations with Liberia were particularly difficult in the period when Charles
Taylor was President of Liberia (1997-2003). Relations have improved following the removal
of Taylor in August 2003 and the widely hailed democratic election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
in November 2005, which augurs well for regional stability (see Liberia Country Profile). The MRU
was relaunched at a meeting in Conakry in May 2004. Relations with Sierra Leone have long
been good even though there is an ongoing minor border dispute over the ownership of the
village of Yenga, situated near the border between the two countries, and an associated
dispute over the exact boundary, which lies on the course of the Makona river. The newly
elected President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, visited Guinea in his first official
foreign trip, to meet President Conte and Prime Minister Kouyate. Violent clashes between
Guineans and Malians around the border between the two countries occurred in July 2007. The
Guinean Foreign Minister visited Mali in November to discuss the issue. The incidents have
not been repeated and do not appear to have any wider implications for relations between the
two countries.
There have been various international initiatives aimed at restoring peace to the Mano
River Union, including the International Contact Group on Liberia, expanded to cover Guinea
and renamed the International Contact Group on the Mano River Basin in June 2004.
Guinea absorbed many thousands of refugees from conflicts in Liberia Côte d'Ivoire and
Sierra Leone - around 700,000 over the last 15 years. This put Guinea under severe strain.
More recently the situation has eased considerably due to the resolution of conflicts in
neighbouring countries. The vast majority of refugees have returned to Liberia and those
from Sierra Leone no longer enjoy refugee status.
GUINEA'S RELATIONS WITH THE UK
Relations between Guinea and the UK are good.
In 2000 the UK opened a permanent mission in Conakry, which became a full embassy in
September 2003. In July 2002 Guinea opened a Consulate in London, which was upgraded to an
embassy in late 2004.
The UK has supported work by the Conakry- based Guinean Human Rights Organisation to
raise awareness of human rights in Guinea. The UK has sponsored several English language
teaching projects for government officials and at the University of Conakry.
Diplomatic Representation
The British Ambassador to Guinea is Mr John McManus
UK representation in Guinea
The Guinean Ambassador to the UK is Mr Lansana Keita
Guinean representation in the UK
Trade and investment with the UK
UK exports of goods to Guinea from January to December 2006 were £33 million up from £22
million in 2005. They consisted of industrial machinery and petroleum products. Imports for
the same period were £1.7 million down from £4.43 million the previous year.
UK Trade and Investment website
Recent Visits
Outward
Baroness Amos, Minister for Africa, visited President Lansana Conté, in Conakry in late
February 2003 and on a following visit in early March 2003 met the then Prime Minister,
Lamine Sidimé and the then Foreign Minister Mr Francois Lounceny Fall. The International
Development Secretary, Clare Short, visited Conakry in May 2001.
Inward
In May and June 2006 a Guinean ministerial delegation, headed by Minister for Mines Dr
Ahmed Tidjane Souaré, visited the UK to sign a mining contract with Rio Tinto (see Economy
above). A delegation of Ministers and business leaders, led by the Finance Minister, visited
London for a Guinean trade symposium in September 2003. Mr Somparé, the President of the
National Assembly, visited the UK Parliament and the Welsh Assembly in April 2003. Mr Fall,
then Foreign Secretary, met Baroness Amos in London in July 2002. Mr Conde, the Foreign
Minister visited London in September 2004.
TRAVEL
Travel Advice: Guinea
Last reviewed: 02 January 2008
