Guinea’s military junta, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, has expressed its objections to Russia’s ambassador in the country following alerts issued by the Russian embassy warning its nationals about potential unrest in Conakry, the capital of Guinea.
This warning came in the wake of Colonel Doumbouya dissolving his government and ordering the closure of all borders, actions that were taken without any public explanation.
Colonel Doumbouya, who ascended to power through a coup in 2021, also directed the confiscation of passports belonging to the dismissed ministers and the freezing of their bank accounts.
The Russian embassy’s advisory, aimed at ensuring the safety of Russian citizens, inadvertently sparked a diplomatic row, leading to the summoning of Ambassador Alexey Popov by an official from Guinea’s foreign ministry.
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In a meeting Ambassador Popov extended an apology for what he described as a misunderstanding, attributing the incident to a translation error.
The statement, he clarified, was intended exclusively for the Russian community in Guinea and was not meant to cause any diplomatic rift. Guinea’s state-owned media outlets reported that the junta accepted the ambassador’s explanation, with Popov assuring that the incident would not mar the relationship between Guinea and Russia.
This episode unfolds against the backdrop of a West Africa that has seen a wave of coups in former French colonies, including Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. These countries have increasingly turned towards Russia, distancing themselves from France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
However, Colonel Doumbouya has sought to navigate these turbulent waters by maintaining amicable relations with all parties involved, including the promise of restoring democratic governance by the end of 2024.
Under Doumbouya’s rule, Guinea has experienced significant political repression, with a ban on all demonstrations enacted in 2022 and the detention of several opposition leaders and civil society members.
The colonel justified the overthrow of President Alpha Condé by citing rampant corruption, human rights abuses, and economic mismanagement. Condé, Guinea’s first democratically elected president after the end of military rule, faced considerable opposition after amending the constitution to secure a third term in office, leading to widespread protests.
The recent diplomatic spat with Russia highlights the complexities of Guinea’s current political situation, characterized by internal governance challenges and shifting international allegiances. As Colonel Doumbouya endeavors to steer Guinea towards a promised democratic future, the international community watches closely, hoping for stability in a region that has seen its fair share of upheaval.
The incident with Russia serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between maintaining national security and fostering diplomatic relations, a balance that Guinea must navigate as it moves towards its stated goal of democratic elections by the end of 2024.
