GUINEA-BISSAU

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TEXT HIGHLIGHTS: Diaries updates, key events, brief analysis and relating news articles in timeline Overview Historically, Guinea-Bissau was known as the ‘Slave Coast’ due to its strategic positioning as a trading post. Guinea-Bissau was a Portuguese colony until 1974. The African Party for the Independence of Guinea- Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) fought a protracted guerrilla war for the independence of both colonies. It was led by Amilcar Cabral. He was assassinated by dissidents in his own movement in 1973. However, Guinea-Bissau unilaterally declared its independence under the leadership of his brother, Luis Cabral, and, following the carnation revolution in Lisbon in 1974, Portugal withdrew its troops and recognised the independence of Guinea Bissau. Luis Cabral governed Guinea-Bissau as a one-party state, with socialist policies but a non-aligned foreign policy. He was overthrown in 1980 by a coup led by Joao Bernardo Veira known as ‘Nino’. The coup was the beginning of a pattern in Guinea-Bissau of military coups and resultant instability, which has continued to the present day. The liberation struggle for independence is led by the late Mr. Amilcar Cabral and of course, a Guerilla warfare under the, African Party for the Independence of Guinea & Capeverde (PAIGC) , a liberation front of the 1960s that led to the country's independence in 1974. Mr. Amilcar Lopes Cabral, a nationalist Guerilla and politician, nicknamed "Abel Djassi" led the African nationalist movements in Guinea-Bissau & the Capeverde islands and led Guinea-Bissau to independence Mr. Amilcar Cabral was assassinated in a commando operation in the name of "Mar Verde" meaning "Green Sea" whose goal was to capture or eliminate the leaders of PAIGC, whose were located in Conakry, Guinea, that was done on the 20th January, 1973 by the Guinea-Bissau native agents of the Portuguese colonialists, just months before unilateral declaration of independence. Guinea became an independent state and a republic on 10th September, 1974 from the Portuguese. Half-brother, Luis De Almeida Cabral became the leader of the party (PAIGC) and would eventually to become president of Guinea-Bissau at independence in September, 1974, he was the founder president of Guinea-Bissau. Headship since independence; Head of State and government. President Luis Cabral was overthrown by a military coup on the 14th of November, 1980, detained for over a year and died later on the 30th of May, 2009, the coup have brought Majour Joao Bernardo Vieira (Nino) to power, a new constitution was adopted in 1984. But political turmoil in Guinea-Bissau continued. A Republic in West Africa on the Atlantic ocean. The present Guinea Bissau was discovered by the Portuguese in 1446 and of subsequent importance in the slave trade, Portugal made it a colony in 1879. It's former name was Portuguese Guinea (until 1974). The liberation struggle for independence is led by the late Mr. Amilcar Cabral and of course, a guerilla warfare under the, African Party for the Independence of Guinea & Capeverde (PAIGC) , a liberation front of the 1960s that led to the country's independence in 1974. Mr. Amilcar Lopes Cabral, a nationalist Guerilla and politician, nicknamed "Abel Djassi" led the African nationalist movements in Guinea-Bissau & the Capeverde islands and led the Guinea-Bissau's independence movement. An eventual union with the Capeverde islands is planned in post-independence years. Mr. Aristides Periera of the was an ally in the drive to unite the two Luzophone countries Capeverdes He was assassinated in a commando operation in the name of "Mar Verde" meaning "Green Sea" whose goal was to capture or eliminate the leaders of PAIGC, located in Conakry, Guinea, that was done on the 20th January, 1973 by the Guinea-native agents of the Portuguese colonialists, just months before Guinea-Bissau declared a unilateral independence. The Operation Green Sea (Portuguese: Operação Mar Verde) was an amphibious attack on Conakry, the capital of Guinea, by between 350 and 420 Colonialist Portuguese soldiers and Portuguese-led Guinean fighters in November 1970. The goals of the operation included the overthrow of Ahmed Sékou Touré's regime, capture of the leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), Amílcar Cabral, destruction of the naval and air assets of the PAIGC and its Guinean supporters, and the rescue of Portuguese POWs held in Conakry. His half brother, Mr. Luis De Almeida Cabral became the leader of the party (PAIGC) and would eventually to become president of Guinea-Bissau at independence in September, 1974, he was the founder president of Guinea-Bissau. Guinea Bissau became an independent state and a republic, but political turmoil continued and the government of president Luis Cabral was overthrown by a military coup on the 14th of November, 1980, arrested, detained for over a year and to be died later on in the 30th of May, 2009, the coup have brought Majour Joao Bernardo Vieira to power, a new constitution was adopted in 1984, the first multi-party elections were held in 1994, he weathered numerous attempts until being forced out nineteen years later at the onset of the country's civil war in May, 1999, Majour Joao Bernardo Vieira known as locally "Nino", went into exile in Portugal. A transitional government was formed under opposition leader Mr. Kumba Yala, sworn in as president, but he was ousted on February, 2000, by the Army chief of staff General Verissimo Correia Seabra who stepped in to end Mr. Kumba Yala's three and half years in office in a bloodless coup. And a businessman called Henrique Rosa was nominated as Interim president. Gunea-Bissau organised elections in 2005 until the late Mr. Joao Bernardo Vieira returned from exile and ran, winning the vote. Mr. J.B Vieira is shotdead by army soldiers in an apparent revenge attack at his home in Bissau on the 2nd of March, 2009, hours after a bomb blast that killed the Army chief of staff at the HQ. In accordance with the constitution of Guinea-Bissau, speaker of the national assembly, Mr. Raimundo Pereira appeared to be Interim president, then presidential elections were held on the 26th of July, 2009, that brought Mr. Malam Bakai Saanha once again to sworn into office as president, as he briefly served early years. In Guinea-Bissau, there is such romours, top military officers were involved with smuggling of illicit goods like narcotics drugs, counterfeits cigaretts from latin America across borders of to western Europe. Politics In an alleged revenge attack, President Joao Bernardo Vieira was shot dead by renegade soldiers on March 2, 2009, hours after a bomb attack which killed the army's chief of staff, General Tagme Na Waie. The presidential polls following the assassination of President Viera were held in June 2009, however, a few days earlier, military police killed one of the candidates, which was explained as a bid to foil a coup. High levels of crime and drug trafficking threaten political stability. Economy Guinea Bissau has oil prospects. However, for significant investment to take place, it needs more conclusive results in the exploration stages Large spurts of growth in the tourism sector has contributed substantially to the country’s economy, which is largely crippled by external debt. The nation’s dependence on cashew exports means it is highly susceptible to world price fluctuations. Social There is a high level of income inequality in Guinea Bissau, which has led to social divisions based on income rather than ethnicity. There exists a problem of ‘brain drain’, the highly educated tend to emigrate. Contraception is more widely used in urban and rural areas. This is widely attributed to improvements in family planning services. Major Conflicts War of Independence When: 1963 – 1974 Who: African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC)led by Amilcar Cabral vs Portuguese Why: Liberation revolution Outcome: Portugal grants Guinea-Bissau independence with Luis Cabral, Amilcar Cabral's brother, as president after Amilcar Cabral was assassinated Joao Bernardo Vieira’s Coup When: 1980 Who: Joao Bernardo Vieira and the military vs Luis Cabral’s government Why: Dissatisfaction with the government – predominantly due to poor economic conditions. Outcome: The bloodless coup was successful and Vieira was declared president. Plans for unification with Cape Verde were cancelled and the PAIGC in Cape Verde fractioned and formed a separate party. A nine- member military Council of the Revolution, chaired by Vieira, was set up and the constitution was suspended. General Ansumane Mane’s Coup When: 1999 Who: General Ansumane Mane and soldiers vs Vieira’s government Why: Vieira had sacked Mane in 1998, which led to mutinies Outcome: Vieira was toppled and Malam Bacai Sanha, the former speaker of parliament, was installed as the interim president 2003 Military Coup When: 2003 Who: Commander Zamora Induta and the national forces vs government. Why: The armed forces claimed that the government was not solving the country’s problems. Outcome: The bloodless coup was successful and then President Kumba Yala was taken prisoner. At recent, Guinea-Bissau's navy chief has been arrested after an attempted coup on the 26th December, 2011. The army said there were more clashes overnight in the hunt for suspects, the AFP news agency reports. President Malam Bacai Sanha is in France, where he has been receiving medical treatment since early December. Outcome: Guinea-Bissau's navy chief has been arrested. Side note: Last year, Guinea Bissau Navy chief Rear Admiral Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto was named by the US as a "drug kingpin". In recent years the tiny West African nation has become a major transit hub for cocaine smuggled from Latin America to Europe and suffered much political unrest as a result. Side note: Guinea-Bissau ex-spy chief Samba Djalo shotdead. The former head of military intelligence in Guinea-Bissau has been shot dead by uniformed men, just hours after polls closed in the unstable country, officials say. Col Samba Djalo was shot in a restaurant opposite his home in the capital, Bissau, witnesses say. It is not clear why he was shot but he was previously linked to a 2009 bombing which killed the then army chief. The election follows the death in January of President Malam Bacai Sanha. Guinea-Bissau has experienced numerous army mutinies and coup plots since independence from Portugal in 1975. In recent years, it has become a major drugs trafficking hub as gangs have taken advantage of its instability and poverty to use it to smuggle cocaine from Latin America to Europe. The electoral commission head and army spokesman have vowed that the shooting of Colonel Samba Djalo will not derail the election. Side note: Soldiers, led by Guinea-Bissau's army chief of staff, General Antonio Indjai, toppled the government over its alleged plans to reduce the size of the army.The military leaders - who took power on 12th April between the two rounds of a presidential election - had previously also agreed to a 12-month transition to civilian rule, as demanded by the regional bloc ECOWAS. The coup leaders said, polls to return the country to constitutional rule would take place within two years. The soldiers claimed during a presidential election on 12 April that Mr. Gomes - who was considered the front-runner in the election - planned to reduce the size of the army. It’s to be recalled that the coup leader General Antonio Indjal became the army chief after staging an army mutiny in April 2010. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has imposed targeted sanctions on Guinea-Bissau's military junta after talks to restore civilian rule broke down. At a 26 April summit in Ivory Coast's commercial capital, Abidjan, ECOWAS gave Guinea-Bissau's junta 72 hours to agree to a return to constitutional order and to allow in up to 600 regional troops or face targeted sanctions. ECOWAS mediators said the junta rejected key demands - including that elections be held within 12 months.Former Interim President Raimundo Pereira and Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr, who were arrested during the coup, were released over the weekend and flown to Ivory Coast's commercial capital of Abidjan, officials said. West Africa's heads of state are due to meet on 3 May to discuss "all other necessary measures, including the use of force to enforce the decisions of the summit," the Ecowas statement added.West African leaders have agreed to send troops to Mali and Guinea-Bissau following coups in both countries. The regional grouping Ecowas said after an emergency summit that it expected both countries to organise presidential elections within the next 12 months. Between 500 and 600 troops will be sent immediately to Guinea-Bissau. At least 3,000 regional soldiers are ready to go to Mali to support the transitional government's fight against rebels which control the north. Meantime, Guinea-Bissau leaders seized in coup are freed. Troops in the West African country of Guinea-Bissau have freed the interim president and ex-prime minister seized in a coup. The UN Security Council has imposed a travel ban on five leaders of the recent military coup in Guinea-Bissau. The resolution also demands immediate steps to restore democracy and ensure soldiers return to their barracks. General Antonio Injai and his forces took power on 12 April, between two rounds of a presidential election. The UN resolution also threatens an arms embargo and financial sanctions if Guinea-Bissau does not return to civilian rule. It expresses concern about reports of looting and human rights abuses by the military and about the possible increase in drug trafficking as a result of the coup. The European Union has already imposed sanctions and the West African group Ecowas has begun deploying forces to Guinea-Bissau to oversee a gradual one-year transition to civilian rule. About 600 troops are expected to arrive there in the coming days. The UN is taking part in regional meeting in Ivory Coast over the weekend to discuss the political crises in Guinea-Bissau and Mali which has also suffered a coup. Updates: Guinea-Bissau drug trade 'rises since coup' - Guinea-Bissau has become a major hub for smuggling drugs to Europe - The UN Security Council has expressed concern that drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau has increased since the coup in April, 2012. It demanded that the country's rulers restore constitutional rule. Guinea-Bissau has a long history of coups since independence from Portugal in September, 1974. It has also become a staging post for gangs smuggling cocaine from Latin America to Europe, allegedly in collusion with top army officers. "The members of the Security Council condemned the continuing interference of the military in politics and expressed their concern with reports of an increase in drug trafficking since the April 12, 2012 coup d'etat," the Security Council said after a meeting in New York. It said it was considering calling an international summit to discuss how to achieve democratic rule in Guinea Bissau. In May, 2012 the Security Council imposed travel bans on the coup leaders and their key supporters. The military has agreed in talks brokered by the West African regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to return the country to democratic rule, but has so far failed to do so. In 2010, the US accused senior military men from Guinea-Bissau, including former navy chief Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto, of drug running. Under the Drug Kingpin Act, financial sanctions were imposed on the officers. No elected leader in nearly 40 years of independence has finished their time in office in Guinea-Bissau. October 21, 2012: Guinea-Bissau Troops Kill 6 Gunmen in Failed Coup Attempt' Six people have been killed in a gunbattle in troubled of Guinea-Bissau in what officials are calling a failed coup attempt. Officials in the West African country say government troops repelled an attack before dawn Sunday on the airforce base near the capital, Bissau. Casualties among the government forces could not be immediately confirmed. Witnesses said authorities tightened security in the capital after a two-hour gunbattle and the situation is calm. Guinea-Bissau has suffered chronic unrest since independence from Portugal in 1974, with frequent coups and counter- coups. A military junta seized power in April, interrupting a presidential election between the first and second rounds. The coup leaders later installed a transitional government to organize new elections, winning the support of West African regional bloc ECOWAS. But the transitional government has failed to secure wider international recognition, with critics saying it remains under army influence. The instability has made Guinea-Bissau a hub for international cocaine traffickers. VoA News Africa Updates;-( October 11, 2012): Guinea Bissau's coup complacency' The deposed prime minister and leading presidential candidate, now living in exile, complains that West African leaders have sought too much compromise with rogue elements of the military. Deposed prime minister Carlos Gomes Júnior believes that the country "faces gloomy prospects" if the current government – formed after a military coup ousted the ruling Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC) in April – stays in power. "The government I was leading had very high scores in performance and good governance, which was recognised by the Guinean people. That is the reason the army wanted us out," Gomes Jr says from Lisbon, where he and advisers are now living in exile. In a country rife with political instability, military coups and a thriving drug trade since its 1974 independence from Portugal, the politician believes that only a United Nations-led intervention will restore stability. The aid-dependent country is now headed by a military command whose leadership has been mediated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). "ECOWAS has acted disastrously," Gomes Jr continues, adding that Nigeria – which has just announced training for troops to go into Guinea- Bissau – Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Burkino Faso have eroded the principle held by ECOWAS and the African Union of zero tolerance for coups. "Guinea-Bissau is not a self-sufficient country. It depends on the international community to guarantee that the basic needs of its population are met. The majority of the coup government have no governmental experience, legitimacy or credibility to convince international partners that it can continue with cooperation agreements." The Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa's tough stance – seeking a stabilisation force and completion of the interrupted presidential election – has encouraged Gomes Jr. and the PAIGC to refuse compromise and has left ECOWAS as the broker. "Angola has always been a strong ally of Guinea-Bissau and will continue to betoitspeople," Gomes Jr says. Butan ECOWAS force has now replaced the Lusophone nation's military support mission in Guinea-Bissau. A recent concession has resulted in the interim government, led by Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo, agreeing to an ECOWAS deadline of April 2013 for new elections – a year after Gomes Jr was seized by the army. "On 12 April we were arrested and held by soldiers, in an abusive way, for 14 days," Gomes Jr says of the events that occurred after he won the first round of the elections. "ECOWAS made the necessary arrangements with the military officers involved in the coup, got us freed and taken dir- ectly to Abidjan, where we were not informed of the terms and status of our stay. That is when we decided to come to Portugal – where we have more freedom to fight against those who seized power in Guinea-Bissau." In early September, Gomes Jr was at the 67th United Nations General Assembly, where he hoped to solidify his legitimacy. In spite of the uncertain future, he doubts the likelihood of "total state collapse" and believes free and fair elections can be held: "I have faith in the international community, personified by the UN, because of what has been its coherence since the beginning: firmly condemning the coup and always demanding the reinstatement of consti- tutional order in the country." The Africa Report Guinea-Bissau Troops Kill 6 Gunmen in Failed Coup Attempt' Updates: (October 21, 2012) Six people have been killed in a gunbattle in troubled of Guinea-Bissau in what officials are calling a failed coup attempt. Officials in the West African country say government troops repelled an attack before dawn Sunday on the airforce base near the capital, Bissau. Casualties among the government forces could not be immediately confirmed. Witnesses said authorities tightened security in the capital after a two-hour gunbattle and the situation is calm. Guinea- Bissau has suffered chronic unrest since independence from Portugal in 1974, with frequent coups and counter-coups. A military junta seized power in April, interrupting a presidential election between the first and second rounds. The coup leaders later installed a transitional government to organize new elections, winning the support of West African regional bloc ECOWAS. But the transitional government has failed to secure wider international recognition, with critics saying it remains under army influence. The instability has made Guinea-Bissau a hub for international cocaine traffickers. VoA News Africa Guinea Bissau: Arrest of drug lords just the first step in the battle against trafficking’ Summary & Comment: Tshwane/Pretoria (South Africa) Guinea Bissau is notorious for being West Africa's drug capital. Cocaine trafficking here has an estimated market value of $4,3 billion a year. Where to try the traffickers if caught?. Drug money can get them off within the country. An incorruptible justice system would help catch traffickers, but impossible to change it before the upcoming election in November. No other African country provides a better setting for a fast-paced crime thriller than Guinea Bissau. The spectacular capture at sea of the former head of Guinea-Bissau's navy, José Américo Bubo Na Tchuto, by the United States (US) navy in April this year was another reminder that fact is stranger than fiction in this country - notorious for being West Africa's drug capital. Cocaine trafficking here has an estimated market value of $4,3 billion a year. But apart from its spectator value, one has to ask what the sting operation led by the US Drug Enforcement Agency means for Guinea- Bissau's future.Recently, the country's interim leader President Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo announced that the long-overdue elections would be held on 24 November this year - the first elections since a military coup in April 2012. Building on the recent successful arrests, everything possible should be done to ensure that these elections are not tainted by drug money. In order for the operation against the drug lords to have a lasting and positive effect on stability, democratic governance and the rule of law in Guinea Bissau and in West Africa more broadly, Na Tchuto's trial, which began in the US this week, needs to be emphasized as a deterrent and followed up with a sustained effort to improve the country's criminal justice system. If not, an opportunity will be wasted to see long-term benefits from this dramatic external intervention. On the contrary, the arrests might destabilise power relations and lead to more violence. The capture of Na Tchuto and six accomplices, as well as the indictment against General Antonio Indjai, head of the armed forces, is certainly a victory for law enforcement. It may also mean the end of an era of impunity in the region. Both men are charged with drug trafficking and the purchase of surface-to-air missiles and AK47 assault rifles with grenade launchers for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) insurgency. The main problem with these arrests is that outsiders were responsible for them and Na Tchuto is now being tried by the New York District Court. This undermines due process in Guinea Bissau and has been met with nationalistic indignation in some circles. The military, not surprisingly, feels threatened and betrayed. Clearly, it would have been preferable if Na Tchuto and his accomplices were tried and imprisoned on national soil. However, years of turmoil have left Guinea-Bissau's judiciary in tatters. Since the latest coup, high- ranking officials like Indjai have vetted all political and judicial appointments, ruling out any credible due process. Guinea-Bissau has also been plagued by political assassinations in recent years, including that of former president João Bernardo 'Nino' Vieira in March 2009. None of these acts - often linked to the cocaine trade - has ever been seriously investigated. The Guinea-Bissau League of Human Rights remarked in a 2012 press release that 'citizens are denied the fundamental right of access to justice due to the failure of the state to fulfil its constitutional obligations'. A possible solution could be to try drug traffickers in the region. This could be modelled on the international response to piracy in West Africa, where pirates are tried in neighbouring countries. This option has been discussed in the past and a majority of the members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are in favour of such a move. In the short term, the 2 April sting operation could, paradoxically, increase the possibility of violence. A lesson learned from Latin America is that the key driver of violence is not cocaine as such, but change: change in the negotiated power relations between and within groups, and with the state. It is clear that if Na Tchuto and Indjai are successfully unseated it will destabilise a longstanding balance of power, linked to control of territory along ethnic and clan lines.Until now Guinea-Bissau has been relatively free from clan-, community- and gang-related violence and people do not see drug trafficking as directly impacting on their own sense of security. This might now change. Some citizens also fear military retaliation or another coup, following the arrest of the drug lords. To allow this to happen on the eve of the elections, and because of a much-needed law enforcement intervention, would be a crying shame. To help Guinea-Bissau break the vicious cycle of political fragility the international community can use this opportunity to highlight that impunity for drug trafficking and organised crime has now ended in West Africa. It should work with the region to make sure the upcoming elections go ahead and are not influenced by criminal actors, and continue to support the work of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS). It should support efforts to strengthen the criminal justice system and help the country establish a broad-based rule of law and legal empowerment framework. Finally, it could consider setting up an internationally sponsored mechanism - perhaps similar to the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). The aim will be to provide integrity to regionally or nationally led criminal justice proceedings against crimes committed in Guinea-Bissau, such as drug trafficking and violations of human rights. A serious commitment is needed to strengthen the criminal justice system in Guinea-Bissau and to build citizens' confidence that the state has the capacity to deliver justice and uphold the rule of law. Elections are a perfect opportunity to hold the candidates, and thus the potential future government, to account for building more robust measures to counter organised crime and impunity. The international community can and should help in this process in preparation for the elections. This article is based on an ISS Policy Brief, 'The end of impunity? After the kingpins, what next for Guinea-Bissau?'. Tuesday Reitano and Mark Shaw, senior research associates, Institute for Security Studies and STATT Consulting, Hong Kong. Accession to president Malam Bakai Saanha, by election. Tentative election calendar – July Guinea-Bissau – Timeline Diaries updates, and related key notes: Pre-15th century - The area of what is now Guinea-Bissau comes under the influence of the Mali Empire and becomes a tributary kingdom known as Gabu. 1446-47 - First Portuguese arrive; subsequently administered as part of the Portuguese Cape Verde Islands, the Guinea area becomes important in the slave-trade. 1879 - Guinea-Bissau becomes a separate colony. Portuguese control of the interior is slow and sometimes violent, and not effectively achieved until 1915. 1951 - Guinea-Bissau declared overseas territory of Portugal. 1956 - Amilcar Cabral establishes the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). 1963-74 - PAIGC launches war of independence. 1973 - Amilcar Cabral nicknamed ‘Abel Jassi’ assassinated. PAIGC unilaterally declares Guinea-Bissau independent of Portugal and gives it its present name. 1974 - Portugal grants Guinea-Bissau independence with Luis Cabral, Amilcar Cabral's brother, as president. 1980 - Luis Cabral ousted in military coup led by Majour Joao Bernardo Vieira; plans for unification with Cape Verde dropped. 1990 - Parliament revokes the PAIGC's status as the sole legitimate party. Majour Joao Bernardo Vieira took power in a coup and was himself ousted. He won the presidential election but was then assassinated 1994 – Joao Bernardo Vieira nicknamed as ‘Nino’chosen as president in Guinea-Bissau's first free election. 1998 - Army mutinies after Vieira sacks his army commander, General Ansumane Mane, whom he accused of allowing weapons to be smuggled to rebels in Senegal. May 1999 - Soldiers led by General Ansumane Mane toppled Nino Vieira. Military junta installs Malam Bacai Sanha, the former speaker of parliament, as interim president. January 2000 - Kumba Yala elected president. November 2000 - General Mane killed, allegedly after trying to stage coup. January 2001 - Guinea-Bissau Resistance (RGB) party pulls out of ruling coalition saying it wasn't consulted about a cabinet reshuffle. May 2001 - IMF, World Bank suspend aid over millions missing from development funds. Towards year's end an IMF team praises improvements in financial controls. November 2001 - Foreign minister Antonieta Rosa Gomes dismissed after criticising President Yala. Increasing concern over the president's erratic behaviour. December 2001 - Government says it has thwarted a coup attempt by army officers. Opposition casts doubt on allegations. Prime Minister Faustino Imbali is sacked for "failing to meet expectations". November 2002 - President Yala says he plans to dissolve parliament and call early elections. The move comes amid a long-running row with his prime minister. September 14, 2003 - Military coup ousts President Yala. September 28, 2003 - Civilian administration headed by interim President Henrique Rosa and interim Prime Minister Antonio Artur Rosa is sworn in after military, political parties agree to hold parliamentary and presidential elections. March 2004 - Former ruling party, the PAIGC, wins general election. October 2004 - Mutinous soldiers kill the head of the armed forces in pursuit of demands which include payment of outstanding wages. April 2005 - Joao Bernardo Vieira, former president toppled in 1999 rebellion, returns from exile in Portugal. May 2005 - Former president Kumba Yala, who was deposed in 2003, declares that he is still the rightful head of state. He stages a brief occupation of the presidency building. July 2005 - Former military ruler Joao Bernardo Vieira wins a run-off vote in presidential elections. October 2005 - After a few weeks in office, President Vieira sacks the government of Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior. March-April 2006 - Guinea-Bissau soldiers battle Senegalese rebels along the southern border. June 2006 - Unions call a three-day strike over civil service wage arrears. The regional economic grouping ECOWAS promises to cover teachers' pay. October 2006 - Guinea-Bissau appeals for international help to stop people-traffickers using its remote coastline to smuggle migrants, including Asians, to Europe. March-April 2007 - Prime Minister Aristides Gomes resigns after his government loses a no-confidence vote. Martinho Ndafa Kabi is appointed as consensus prime minister. June 2007 - Donors have one last opportunity to save Guinea-Bissau from chaos and to combat Latin American drug cartels, the UN and International Monetary Fund warn. December 2007 - Parliament passes law guaranteeing amnesty for any violence committed during the years of political unrest between 1980 and 2004. July 2008 - One of the three major parties quits the national unity coalition, triggering a political crisis. July-August 2008 - The justice minister and attorney-general both say they have received death threats over the arrest of three Venezuelans, the head of air traffic control and his deputy on suspicion of drugs trafficking. August 2008 - President Vieira dissolves parliament, which automatically brings about the fall of the government of Martinho Ndafa Kabi. Mr Nino Vieira appoints former prime minister Carlos Correia to head the government in the run-up to parliamentary elections in November 2008. November 2008 - President Vieira survives a gun attack on his home by mutinous soldiers, in what appears to be a failed coup. March 2009 - President Joao Bernardo Vieira is shot dead by renegade soldiers, hours after a bomb attack that killed the army's chief of staff, General Tagme Na Waie. June 2009 - First round of presidential polls. Days earlier, military police kill one of the candidates in bid to foil a "coup". July 2009 - Malam Bacai Sanha, wins presidential election in a run-off. April 2010 - Mutinous soldiers briefly detain Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior and replace armed forces chief. US names two top military officials as international drugs traffickers and freezes their US assets. June 2010 - Leader of April's mutiny, General Antonio Indjai, is made army chief. August 2010 - EU announces it is ending mission to reform Guinea Bissau's security forces, saying lack of respect for rule of law is making this an impossible task. October 2010 - US expresses concern over Guinea Bissau government's decision to reinstate alleged drugs kingpin Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto as head of navy. Mr Na Tchuto is a close ally of army chief General Antonio Indjai. December 2010 - Former army chief Jose Zamora Induta, who was arrested during April mutiny, is released from prison but days later placed under house arrest. February 2011 - EU suspends part of its aid to Guinea-Bissau because of concerns over governance and the rule of law. July-August 2011 - Thousands take to the streets to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior for his failure to curb rising food prices. December 2011 - Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior says a coup attempt against President Malam Bacai Sanha, mounted while the president was receiving medical treatment abroad, has been foiled. Navy chief Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto is accused of masterminding the coup and arrested. January 2012 - President Malam Bacai Sanha dies in hospital in Paris. National Assembly head Raimundo Pereira becomes interim president. April-May 2012 - Soldiers topple the government. Interim President Pereira is detained, as is the front-runner in an ongoing presidential poll, former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior. A transitional government, led by Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo, is formed. Politicians and the military agree to hold fresh elections within a year, but no specific steps are taken. The UN Security Council imposes travel bans on the coup leaders and their key supporters. July 2012 - The UN Security Council expresses concern that drug trafficking has increased since the coup, and demands a return to constitutional rule. October 2012 - Seven killed in raid on an army barracks, which the transitional government describes as a failed coup attempt. COUNTRY FACT FILE Location On the Atlantic coast of West Africa. Official title of the state The Republic of Guinea-Bissau. Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; yellow symbolizes the sun; green denotes hope; red represents blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity. Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the flag design was heavily influenced by the Ghanaian flag. Neighbours Senegal on N. Guinea on E. and S. Land boundaries; total 724 km. Border countries; Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km. Local division 9 regions /regioes/ Government type Republic - semi-presidential Legislation chamber Unicameral - People's National Assembly Form of State Republic (ushered with Supreme Military Ruling Council) President is Chief of State Prime Minister is Head of Government President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits) Prime Minister appointed by the President after consultation with party leaders in the legislature. A republic with one legislative house. The People's National Assembly 102 seats, members are elected by popular vote to serve for four-year terms. Executive branch (Ushered with Supreme Military Ruling Council) Separated by chief of State and head of Government. President elected by popular vote to serve for five-year terms without presidential term limits. Head of Government to be appointed by the president. Former Rulers 1974 – 1980: Luís Severino de Almeida Cabral 1980 – 1999: João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira May 14, 1984 - May 16, 1984: Carmen Pereira-acting presdent May 7, 1999 – May 14, 1999 : Ansumane Mané 1999 – 2000: Malam Bacai Sanhá 2000 – 2003: Kumba Ialá (Kumba Yallá) 2003 – 2003: Veríssimo Correia Seabra 2003 - 2005: Henrique Pereira Rosa 2005 – 2009: João Bernardo Vieira March 3, 2009 - Sept. 8, 2009: Raimundo Perreira (Interim) September 8, 2009 – Present: Malam Bacai Sanhá Judicial chamber Supreme Court Capital city Bissau Altitude 23 mtrs Geographic coordinates - 11.51N , 15.35W. It's located on the Geba river estuary, off the Atlantic. Founded as a village in 1687, to become the capital in 1942. Names of main towns Bafala, Gabu, Mansoa, Caccine, Corubal, Cacheu. Date of independence 24th September, 1973 independence formally declared / 10th September,1974 officially gained. Religions (Major) Muslim 50%, Traditional beliefs 40%, Christian 10%. Main spoken languages Portuguese (official), Crioulo (cognate of Spanish Criollo and of English Creole), Balante widely spoken. Currency unit Franc CFA=100 Centavos. Area in Km2 36,125.00 Country area comparison in Africa 43 out of 55 states. Demographic terms ;- Average annual population growth rate 2.004 % Birth rate 35.56 births per 1,000 population Death rate 15.52 deaths per 1,000 population Average life expectancy ; 48.3 years Male 46.44 years ; Female 50.22 years; Illiteracy rate (%) Male: 39, Female: 63 Average per capita income USD 1, 100 Population density 48.3/km2 Urban population (%) 30 Contributor groups (%) Farming, Fishery: 54 Industry: 15 Social service: 31 Main Export items Ground nuts, palm product, cashew-nuts, palm kernels, sawn timber. Economy is based on Agriculture & fishery. Climate Tropical; Hot, dry dusty: generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly winds. Natural hazard: dusty wind “harmattan haze” that may reduce visibility during the dry season. Extremes;- Lowest point; The Atlantic coast 0 mtr. Highest point; Mont Nimba 1,752 m Weather of the Capital city (Bissau) average annual temperature 26.90c. Altitude At sea level. Hottest Month April 34-45oc. Coldest Month January 19-23oc. Driest Month 34-45oc. Wettest Month 18-30oc. Measures Metric system. Time zone GMT/UTC + 0 Public holidays September 24, (Independence day), January 20 (Amilcar Cabral day), November 14 (Liberation day). Ethnic groups African tribes, Ballante 40%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 8 %, others Mulattoes /mixed/, Europeans 5%. Topographic & Environmental concern Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior. A swampy coastal plain also covers most of the country to the east is a low savannah region. Environment—current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overgrazing , and overpopulation in forest region Economic Overview Industry Agro-processing, breweries, soft-drinks. Tourism Cacheu: former slave-trading center, Bijagos Islands, Saltinho Waterfall. Guinea-Bissau's biggest annual festival is the Latin-style Bissau carnival in February. The red river hogs, which consume dead animals and act like scavengers, can be found as sightseeing in Guinea-Bissau. Chief crops Peanuts, cotton, rice, corn, cassava, cashaw nuts, palm kernels, timber, fish. Natural resources: Bauxite, Iron ore Diamonds, Gold, Uranium, Fish, Timber, Phosphates, Clay, Granite, Limestone, Hydro-power, unexploited deposits of petroleum. Land in use (%) Arable land: 11 Grassland: 38 Forest woods: 38 Other: 13 Marine: Coastline; 350 km. Commercial Sea port:- Bissau, Bolama Development prospect;- The health of the cashew harvest is the major determinant of the country's economic growth. The trade ministry said in August that the crop should produce about 170,000tn for export, compared to about 140,000tn in 2010. Weak rains elsewhere hurt production of staples such as corn, millet and rice. Political stability is also enabling other large projects to start, including the port at Buba and a bauxite mine at Boé. Angolan company Bauxite Angola is backing the two projects, estimated to cost more than $500m and to include road, dam and rail construction. As analysts, reducing the size of the powerful military and the civil service will give the government the funds to invest in much-needed infrastructure The Paris Club and Guinea-Bissau's other creditors have sought to ease public financial stress. The country reached the completion point of the Heavily Indebted Poor Country debt-relief initiative in December 2010, and in May 2011 the Paris Club of commercial creditors wrote off $256m of the country's debt. The government has started paying part of its large internal debt, boosting the prospects of local suppliers and construction companies. By raising more through taxing cashew exports and other measures, government revenue will cover recurrent costs for the coming year, according to the IMF. That will enable the government to use donor budget support for development projects and new infrastructure. In May, the World Bank agreed to provide the government with $2.2m towards the purchase a 5MW thermal generator for the capital city, which currently produces just 4MW for demand of about 30MW. More urgent improvements are needed elsewhere in the roads, water and electricity sectors, which are receiving donor support.