International Crisis Group
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Guinea| West Africa
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The situation in Guinea is a source of immediate concern for the whole of West Africa. As the leaders of the December 2008 coup seek to consolidate their control, potential divisions within the army put the country’s and the region’s safety and stability at risk. The Guinean people are caught between hope for a new era after years of misrule and fear of how the military leaders might abuse their newfound power.

During former President Lansana Conté's 24 year rule poor governance and the brutality of the security forces drove the country to near-anarchy. In an unprecedented show of protest, the trade unions launched two general strikes in February and June 2006 and a third in January 2007 that deteriorated into weeks of bloody demonstrations. Between mid-January and mid-February at least 120 people were killed by the security forces and many more wounded.

In March 2007 Conté was forced to accept consensus figure Lansana Kouyaté as prime minister but just over a year later the president dismissed him in favour of Tidiane Souaré, one of his allies. Though Conté tried hard to reassert his  authoritarian control, his ailing health and generational divisions within the armed forces weakened his grip on the political sphere. In May 2008 junior soldiers mutinied demanding back pay and the firing of generals, Contés most loyal supporters.

Hours after Conté's death on 22 December, a group of mid-ranking officers led by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara announced the dissolution of the constitution and took control of the government. Calling themselves the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD), they promised to counter Guinea’s widespread corruption and worsening economic conditions. Although initially rejecting the coup, Prime Minister Souaré endorsed the junta. After retiring 22 senior army officers, the regime named a new prime minister and a government in which many key positions have been given to military figures.

The international community was quick to condemn the coup; the African Union suspended Guinea, and the US suspended all but humanitarian aid to the country. Most of Guinea’s neighbours, however,  conscious of the risk of instability spreading across their shared borders, were non-committal in their responses while Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, along with Libyan leader Muammar Kadhafi, openly endorsed the coup. The Economic Community of West African States, despite these divisions, announced the suspension of Guinea until the junta returns the country to constitutional order. Dadis first said elections would be held in December 2010, but in private assured a French diplomat a poll would be organised by the end of 2009. The junta have since said that they will study proposals from the electoral commission concerning the elections timetable.

The situation remains very unpredictable. The military is at risk of fracturing further while public finances, already in a parlous state, will likely deteriorate in the coming months. The junta may find their honeymoon period short-lived in the face of popular economic desperation. Meanwhile civil society and political parties are struggling to agree on a timetable for a transition to democratic rule.

Our reports on Guinea are listed below, starting with the most recent. You can also search for relevant reports using the search box in the top right hand side of this page.

Articles, op-eds, speeches and media releases can be found under the media section.

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Recent Crisis Group resources on Guinea:


Recent reports & briefings