The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, will pay an official visit to Paris in December. What is the purpose of this trip? It comes at a particularly delicate and tense political moment for his country.
The main objective of Umaro Sissoco Embaló’s visit will likely be to dispel uncertainties and explain the controversial decisions taken by the Bissau-Guinean president. Embaló has repeatedly emphasized his commitment to maintaining order and discipline in Guinea-Bissau. On October 23, he declared, “We cannot allow people to disrupt public order and the peace of the population, as no one has the right to create disorder in this country.” This statement followed the arrest and detention of several opposition leaders who had planned to organize protests in the capital, Bissau, on October 14.
These arrests have further exacerbated an already tense political climate, prompting Mr. Embaló to reiterate his firm stance on controlling the political and social situation in the country. His strict measures, though criticized both nationally and internationally, are central to his strategy for stabilizing his government. However, they have also raised concerns about freedom of expression and political rights in Guinea-Bissau.
This visit to Paris takes place within a complex context, as the Bissau-Guinean president seeks to justify his actions while strengthening diplomatic ties with France, a key partner in Guinea-Bissau’s development. The trip also offers Mr. Embaló the opportunity to discuss the political future of his country, particularly regarding the upcoming legislative elections.
In July 2024, the president had decreed these elections to take place on that date, only to later rescind the decree due to conditions deemed insufficient for a calm and transparent electoral process. His political advisor, Fernando Delfim Da Silva, explained that the necessary conditions were not in place for the elections to proceed as planned. A new decree announcing a revised date is expected in the coming months.
On the bilateral front, this visit reaffirms the commitments made during the previous meeting between Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Umaro Sissoco Embaló on February 20, 2024, at the Élysée Palace. At that time, the two leaders praised the positive trajectory of their bilateral relations, particularly in the field of education. Notably, France is supporting the creation of the International French School of Bissau, a significant educational project set to be inaugurated in the coming weeks. This initiative, addressing growing educational needs in the region, symbolizes the deepening of Franco-Bissau-Guinean cooperation.
Additionally, France has confirmed its development support for Guinea-Bissau. As announced in February 2024, France is providing budgetary assistance of three million euros to support the country’s development priorities, particularly in public health and hospital management. This aid will help finance, among other things, the purchase of routine vaccines and partially support the operations of hospitals, which have been suffering from chronic resource shortages for years.
This visit to Paris, therefore, represents an opportunity for the Bissau-Guinean president to clarify his political intentions, reassure his French partners about the stability of his government, and seek crucial support for the future of his country.
