On 9 December 2024, the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, had a very eventful week in the French capital. A stop at the Invalides, a participation in the symbolic reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral and, to top it all off, a working lunch with Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée. The highlight of his visit to Paris. No. Obviously, he had not come to contemplate (only) the newly renovated gargoyles of Notre-Dame.
Two countries, a common priority
After a remarkable arrival on Saturday, one could even say that among the heads of state in Paris this weekend, the Bissau-Guinean head of state, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, was the guest “star” – of course far behind Elon Musk (more than a head of state) and Donald Trump. He shook hands, hugged, poured a few words into each other’s ears, multiplied official and unofficial meetings. During his working lunch with Emmanuel Macron, he reminded France that Guinea-Bissau does exist, even if it is not francophone. But we’re not going to be talking about such a trivial detail, because this is the first meeting of its kind between the two leaders. This is a testament to the strong ties that unite these two countries as they go beyond language barriers. We do not need to speak the same language to find strategic priority points for the development of key sectors in each of our countries.

France-Guinea-Bissau, Keyword: cooperation
The lunch included discussions on energy transition, strengthening health and education systems, cultural development and regional security. Among the projects envisaged, the construction of a French high school in Guinea-Bissau represents a major step forward for the country’s youth. Umaro Sissoco Embalo believes that this bilateral cooperation is part of a strategy for stability and sustainable development. Increasingly, the Guinean president Bissau has been very present on the international stage since 2020. Chairman of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), Embalo is a key interlocutor for western partners.

Embalo, not a fan of language
Umaro Sissoco Embalo has a quality, which could sometimes become a defect. This career military is a real African patchwork. As much as it allows him not to go unnoticed, it can be an obstacle in terms of diplomacy. Son of a corporal, descendant of Malian and Guinean lineages, Embalo embodies an Africa with plural identities. Frank, direct and without filter, his style is at odds with traditional diplomatic codes. Polyglot, he easily juggles between Portuguese, French, English and Spanish, which gives him a rare ease on the international scene. Embalo fully accepts this singularity that makes it almost impossible to do without him during the big meetings, despite the smallness of his country. Hence his presence in Paris for the reopening of Notre-Dame and his exchanges with Emmanuel Macron testify to this ambition.

Oil-filled speeches on bilateral cooperation
Although Guinea-Bissau is not a francophone country, it remains a key African partner for France. This working lunch in the Élysée marks an important step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. For Embaló, it is not only a question of securing partnerships that are beneficial to his country, but also of consolidating his stature as an African leader committed to regional stability issues. That neither the size of a country nor the number of its inhabitants are an obstacle: it is enough to have charisma, substance, like Embalo.

The boss of the Bissau-Guinean army announced on Thursday, October 14, 2021, that he had thwarted the preparations for a coup d’état. He said that he identified military personnel who wanted to overturn the constitutional order.

The statement was made on Thursday by the Chief of the General Staff of the Army Biagué Na Ntan. We have managed to identify a group of FARP (People’s Revolutionary Armed Forces) soldiers who are mobilizing soldiers by buying their conscience against banknotes in order to subvert the established constitutional order,’ he said. A statement on the occasion of the celebration of the 47th anniversary of the creation of the National Military Police.

These events occurred as President Umaru Sissoco Embalo left Bissau the capital for a 48-hour working visit.

Since independence in 1974, Guinea Bissau has experienced four putschs. The first disturbance to the constitutional order dates back to April 12, 2012. It was led by the army, commanded by General Mamadu Ture Kuruma, Vice Chief of Staff, following the first round of a contested presidential election, won at the time by Carlos Gomes Junior. 

In all, the country has been the scene of sixteen attempts at a coup d’état and many changes of government with a political landscape that is sometimes unstable and turbulent.

As a reminder, Guinea-Bissau is a former Portuguese colony. It has been independent for 47 years after a long war of liberation. This struggle was led by Amilcar Cabral, a politician from Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde Islands. He is the founder of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which led to the independence of these two states colonized by Portugal.

The street sign named after Senegalese President Macky Sall was vandalized. The stele was attacked on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. Unidentified people destroyed everything in their path.

The avenue named in reference to the President of the Republic of Senegal Macky Sall in Guinea Bissau was attacked on Tuesday, August 17. This attack shows once again the dissatisfaction of many Bissau-Guineans over the choice of their authorities to name this avenu in the name of the Senegalese head of state. 

On 24 September 2020, the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, decided to change the name of the avenue Caetano Semedo, in favour of the President of Senegal. This decision created a great controversy among the population.
.
Guinea-Bissau still cannot understand this imposed choice without prior consultation. For some, it is unacceptable to choose Macky Sall instead of a hero who fought for the liberation of the country.

President Embalo justifies the choice made on Macky Sall by his commitment and support for him during the presidential elections of November and December 2019, but also for his involvement in the regulation of the crisis that has been shaking this country for months.