Guinea’s military junta, which seized power through a coup in September 2021, has officially dissolved the government, as announced via a presidential decree read on state TV by the presidency’s Secretary General, Brig Gen Amara Camara.
The announcement lacked details regarding the rationale behind the dissolution or the timeline for establishing a new government.
In conjunction with the dissolution, ministers in the now-dissolved government have been instructed to surrender their passports and official vehicles, with directives issued for their bank accounts to be frozen.
Additionally, the junta has directed security agencies to seal all of Guinea’s borders until the complete handover of government ministries to the junta.
During the interim period until a new government is appointed, lower-level officials will manage state ministries, according to Camara.
The dissolved government, led by Prime Minister Bernard Goumou, was appointed by coup leader Mamady Doumbouya, who led Guinea’s armed forces in overthrowing elected President Alpha Condé in September 2021. The coup followed a series of protests against Condé’s controversial bid for a third term.
Guinea, along with several other countries in West and central Africa, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Gabon, has experienced coups in recent years. These coups have faced strong condemnation from West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS, the African Union, and the UN.
The junta and ECOWAS had earlier agreed on a 24-month transition period, with Guinea expected to hold elections to restore democratic rule within 10 months, as the transition period comes to an end.