Guinea

Guinea's deep Muslim heritage arrived via the neighboring Almoravid Empire in the 11 th century. Following Almoravid decline, Guinea existed on the fringe of several African kingdoms all competing for regional dominance. In the 13 th century, the Mali Empire took control of Guinea, encouraging its already growing Muslim faith. After the fall of the West African empires, various smaller kingdoms controlled Guinea. In the 18 th century, Fulani Muslims established an Islamic state in central Guinea that represents one of the earliest examples of a written constitution and alternating leadership. While European traders first arrived in the 16 th century, it was the French who secured colonial rule in the 19 th century.

In 1958, Guinea became independent from France, and Sekou TOURE established an authoritarian regime. TOURE ruled until his death in 1984. After TOURE’s death, General Lansana CONTE staged a coup and seized the government. CONTE organized and won presidential elections in 1993, 1998, and 2003. Upon CONTE's death in December 2008, Captain Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seized power, and suspended the constitution.

In September 2009, presidential guards opened fire on an opposition rally, killing more than 150 people. In early December 2009, CAMARA was wounded in an assassination attempt and exiled to Burkina Faso. In 2010 and 2013 respectively, the country held its first free and fair presidential and legislative elections. Alpha CONDE won the 2010 and 2015 presidential elections. CONDE's first cabinet was the first all-civilian government in Guinean history.

In March 2020, Guinea passed a constitutional referendum that extended presidential terms and reset CONDE’s term count, and later that year, Alpha CONDE won a controversial third presidential term. On 5 September 2021, Col Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup by a National Committee of Rally and Development that arrested President CONDE, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the government. DOUMBOUYA is declared President on 17 September 2021. A charter of transition, issued in late September, made DOUMBOUYA transitional president for an undefined period, and on 1 October 2021, he was formally sworn in.

Guinea’s strong population growth is a result of declining mortality rates and sustained elevated fertility. The population growth rate was somewhat tempered in the 2000s because of a period of net outmigration. Although life expectancy and mortality rates have improved over the last two decades, the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continues to contribute to high infant and maternal mortality rates.

Guinea’s total fertility remains high at about 5 children per woman because of the ongoing preference for larger families, low contraceptive usage and availability, a lack of educational attainment and empowerment among women, and poverty. A lack of literacy and vocational training programs limit job prospects for youths, but even those with university degrees often have no option but to work in the informal sector. About 60% of the country’s large youth population is unemployed.

Tensions and refugees have spilled over Guinea’s borders with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire. During the 1990s Guinea harbored as many as half a million refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, more refugees than any other African country for much of that decade. About half sought refuge in the volatile "Parrot’s Beak" region of southwest Guinea, a wedge of land jutting into Sierra Leone near the Liberian border.

Many were relocated within Guinea in the early 2000s because the area suffered repeated cross-border attacks from various government and rebel forces, as well as anti-refugee violence.

degree of risk:

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever

water contact diseases:

schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases:

rabies

aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases:

Lassa fever (2016)

note: on 14 February 2021, the Guinea government declared an outbreak of Ebola in N'Zerekore; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Travel Advisory recommending travelers avoid non-essential travel to Guinea; travelers to this area could be infected with Ebola if they come into contact with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids;

travelers should seek medical care immediately if they develop fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising during or after travel

degree of risk:

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever

water contact diseases:

schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases:

rabies

aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases:

Lassa fever (2016)

note: on 14 February 2021, the Guinea government declared an outbreak of Ebola in N'Zerekore; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Travel Advisory recommending travelers avoid non-essential travel to Guinea; travelers to this area could be infected with Ebola if they come into contact with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids;

travelers should seek medical care immediately if they develop fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising during or after travel

description:

unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; 76 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote and 38 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections:

last held on 21 March 2020 (next to be held 1 March 2027)

election results:

In parliamentary elections, the Rally of the Guinean People-Rainbow wins 57.5% of the vote (79 of 114 seats), the Democratic Union of Guinea 5.3% (4), the Democratic Popular Movement of Guinea 4.1% (3), and the New Democratic Forces 2.8% (3). Turnout is 58.0%. The military junta dissolved the legislature in September 2021 after military officers overthrew President Alpha CONDE. Junta leaders intend to create a transitional legislature by appointment. New legislative elections will be held on an unspecified date in the future.

Bloc Liberal or BL [Faya MILLIMONO]

National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN [Lansana KOUYATE]

Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Vacant]

Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPG

Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]

Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Ruling party Former ruling party Rally of the Guinean People ( Rassemblement du Peuple Guinéen, RPG ) Opposition parties African Democratic Party of Guinea ( Parti démocratique africain de Guinée ) Party of Unity and Progress ( Parti de l'Unité et du Progrès, PUP ) Union for Progress and Renewal ( Union pour le Progrès et le Renouveau, UPR ) Union for Progress of Guinea ( Union pour le Progrès de la Guinée, UPG ) Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally ( Parti Démocratique de Guinée-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain, PDG-RDA ) National Alliance for Progress ( Alliance Nationale pour le Progrès, ANP ) Party of the Union for Development ( Parti de l’Union pour le Développement, PUD ) Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea ( Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée, UFDG ), led by Cellou Dalein Diallo Union of Republican Forces ( Union des Forces Républicaines , UFR) the Party of Democrats for Hope (" PADES") Led by Dr Ousmane Kaba National Alliance for Change and Democracy (ANAD) led by Cellou Dalein Diallo

Guinea is a poor country of approximately 12.9 million people in 2016 that possesses the world's largest reserves of bauxite and largest untapped high-grade iron ore reserves, as well as gold and diamonds. In addition, Guinea has fertile soil, ample rainfall, and is the source of several West African rivers, including the Senegal, Niger, and Gambia.

Guinea's hydro potential is enormous and the country could be a major exporter of electricity. The country also has tremendous agriculture potential. Gold, bauxite, and diamonds are Guinea’s main exports. International investors have shown interest in Guinea's unexplored mineral reserves, which have the potential to propel Guinea's future growth.

Following the death of long-term President Lansana CONTE in 2008 and the coup that followed, international donors, including the G-8, the IMF, and the World Bank, significantly curtailed their development programs in Guinea. However, the IMF approved a 3-year Extended Credit Facility arrangement in 2012, following the December 2010 presidential elections.

In September 2012, Guinea achieved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries completion point status. Future access to international assistance and investment will depend on the government’s ability to be transparent, combat corruption, reform its banking system, improve its business environment, and build infrastructure.

In April 2013, the government amended its mining code to reduce taxes and royalties. In 2014, Guinea complied with requirements of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative by publishing its mining contracts. Guinea completed its program with the IMF in October 2016 even though some targeted reforms have been delayed.

Currently Guinea is negotiating a new IMF program which will be based on Guinea’s new five-year economic plan, focusing on the development of higher value-added products, including from the agro-business sector and development of the rural economy.

Political instability, a reintroduction of the Ebola virus epidemic, low international commodity prices, and an enduring legacy of corruption, inefficiency, and lack of government transparency are factors that could impact Guinea’s future growth. Economic recovery will be a long process while the government adjusts to lower inflows of international donor aid following the surge of Ebola-related emergency support.

Ebola stalled promising economic growth in the 2014-15 period and impeded several projects, such as offshore oil exploration and the Simandou iron ore project. The economy, however, grew by 6.6% in 2016 and 6.7% in 2017, mainly due to growth from bauxite mining and thermal energy generation as well as the resiliency of the agricultural sector.

The 240-megawatt Kaleta Dam, inaugurated in September 2015, has expanded access to electricity for residents of Conakry. An combined with fears of Ebola virus, continue to undermine Guinea's economic viability.

Guinea’s iron ore industry took a hit in 2016 when investors in the Simandou iron ore project announced plans to divest from the project. In 2017, agriculture output and public investment boosted economic growth, while the mining sector continued to play a prominent role in economic performance.

Successive governments have failed to address the country's crumbling infrastructure. Guinea suffers from chronic electricity shortages; poor roads, rail lines and bridges; and a lack of access to clean water - all of which continue to plague economic development. The present government, led by President Alpha CONDE, is working to create an environment to attract foreign investment and hopes to have greater participation from western countries and firms in Guinea's economic development.

general assessment:

• Guinea’s mobile subscribership growing through investment of South African telecom operators and Chinese Huawei management;
• m-transactions supported commerce;
• broadband still limited and expensive though submarine cable and IXP improved reliability of infrastructure;
• 4G Wi-Fi in the capital;
• National Backbone Network will connect regional administrative centers;
• ECOWAS countries to launch free roaming;
• importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)

domestic:

• there is national coverage and Conakry is reasonably well-served;
• coverage elsewhere remains inadequate but is improving;
• fixed-line teledensity is less than 1 per 100 persons;
• mobile-cellular subscribership is expanding rapidly and now 101 per 100 persons (2019)

international:

• country code - 224;
• ACE submarine cable connecting Guinea with 20 landing points in Western and South Africa and Europe;
• satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production;

many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes;

the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments