Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet on Tuesday in Moscow with his Guinea-Bissau counterpart, Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Umaru Sissoco Embalo.
As the Kremlin press service earlier reported, they will exchange views on the prospects for the development of Russian-Bissau relations and on topical regional and international issues. They will also discuss the development of Russia's engagement with ECOWAS, including preparations for the second Russia-Africa summit in July 2023 in St. Petersburg.
Earlier, the French radio station Radio France internationale (RFI) reported that Umaru Sissoco Embalo was planning to visit Kiev after Moscow. However, there was no official confirmation of this information.
In September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with the president of Guinea-Bissau on the margins of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. They discussed the issues of Russia-Bissau cooperation and the prospects for its development, and advocated increasing the level of bilateral political dialogue and expanding economic ties.
Umaru Sissoco Embalo has been president of Guinea-Bissau since January 2020, and from November 2016 to January 2018 he was head of the country's government. The politician studied in Portugal, Spain and other countries of the world, he is a specialist in international relations (African and Middle Eastern countries), and has undergone additional training in defense and security. During his career, he was reportedly an adviser to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
ECOWAS and the attempted coup d'état in Guinea-Bissau
On February 1, 2022, there was an attempted military coup in Guinea-Bissau. During a government meeting, armed men arrested ministers and the president; they were later released by the military loyal to the head of state. Umaru Sissoco Embalo described the incident as a putsch, stating that suspected drug traffickers were behind the attempted coup.
ECOWAS condemned the attempted seizure of power and deployed a stabilization force to Guinea-Bissau. The peacekeepers are tasked with guarding the country's top leadership and key government institutions.
ECOWAS was created in the spring of 1975 by the countries of West Africa. Today, the organization brings together 15 states in the region. The membership of the three countries where the military seized power in the last few years - Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso - is suspended until plans for presidential and parliamentary elections are approved jointly with ECOWAS.
The chairmanship of ECOWAS is held for one year by one of the leaders of the member countries on a rotating basis. Umaru Sissoco Embalo was the first from Guinea-Bissau to head this major regional organization. He was elected unanimously at the ECOWAS summit held in Ghana's capital, Accra, in July and succeeded President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana.
About the Russia-Africa summit
The first Russia-Africa summit and economic forum was held in Sochi in October 2019 under the slogan "For Peace, Security and Development." As Russian Ambassador at Large Oleg Ozerov noted earlier, the Russian side expects most African heads of state to attend the second summit. The event will be held under the same motto.
According to Lavrov, in the current conditions of global turbulence caused by the actions of the West, the demand for Russian-African cooperation only increases. The minister also stressed that the strengthening of a comprehensive partnership with African countries is among priorities of Russia's foreign policy.
Mikhail Bogdanov, Russian President's Special Representative for the Middle East and African Countries and Deputy Foreign Minister, said that despite sanctions and actions of unfriendly countries, representatives of African countries "continue to demonstrate their desire for multifaceted cooperation with Russia, and Russian-African relations continue to develop successfully by mutual will and desire of the parties."
According to him, Moscow is interested in a multifaceted partnership with Africa, including the expansion of political dialogue and economic and humanitarian cooperation.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS