Africa Monitor

Africa Monitor Intelligence

Guinea-Bissau: Political Tensions Condition New Government Formation

An environment of general discomfort has been marking Guinean domestic politics in recent weeks. The phenomenon, pointed out by attentive observers as cause of the “impasse” in the intention of the PR, UMARU SISSOCO EMBALÓ (USE) to promote the formation of a new Government (AM 1284), may lead to the dissolution of the National Assembly ( ANP), in case the current “status quo” persists.
Rumors in early FEV that USE was preparing to nominate SUZY BARBOSA (SB), current Minister of Foreign Affairs, as PM, also contributed, albeit to a lesser extent, to intensify the climate of unease. The aforementioned rumors were emptied by the effect of later ones, according to which USE did not even admit the hypothesis of the appointment of SB due to the relationship prevailing between both.
USE, who has been gaining increasing prominence in domestic politics (the respective ego is seen as an element capable of hindering a rapprochement with BC), justifies the formation of a new government with what he says is an “imperative need” to entrust governance to staff with more technical competence and moral probity than the current ones. READ MORE