Evolving Situation: Instability in Guinea Updated

Earlier I posted a diary discussing the deteriorating situation in the West African nation of Guinea complete with some background and with a discussion of why it is worrisome to those of us not living there.

The situation has evolved since then. Strongman President Conte, after 2 weeks of a general strike and escalating violence, has agreed to one of the key demands made by the strikers, offering to appoint a new Prime Minister. But the strikers aren't satisfied and the situation remains tense. From BBC news:

The general strike in Guinea is continuing despite President Lansana Conte's offer to name a new prime minister - a key union demand...

The trades unions said they wanted first to see concrete action from President Conte before ending the strike.

"The people of Guinea do not want any more promises. They want something concrete," said Abdoulaye Sow, one of the leaders of the Syndicated Union of Workers of Guinea (USTG).

"It is an agreement in principle. Now it is necessary to put it into practice," he said...

The strikers accuse Mr Conte, who is his 70s and suffers from diabetes, of mismanaging the economy and personally securing the release from prison of two men accused of corruption.

My concern is that this is not going to end the situation even if this particular strike ends. I suspect some of what is going on is uncertainty over what will happen when Conte dies, something that may not be too far in the future given his deteriorating health.

As a nation usually considered an island of stability in a corner of Africa where civil wars have been long and bloody, the loss of that stability could eventually plunge the surrounding nations back into unrest.

Bookmark/Search this post with:

| | | | |