Guinea’s ruling junta has mocked ‘clownish comments’ by the current chair of the West African regional bloc, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea Bissau criticising the duration of the transition to civilian rule.
The military leadership have described as “shameful” the remarks made on Wednesday, September 22, 2022, on Radio France Internationale (Rfi) and France 24 by President Sissoco Embaló.
In an interview with two French media, a few hours before the summit of ECOWAS heads of state meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Mr. Embaló maintained that the three-year transition period decreed by the junta in Conakry was “unacceptable” to the bloc.
He warned that Guinea would face “tough sanctions” if power was not handed over to civilians in 24 months; a statement that irritated junta members.
In a video posted on the Facebook page of the Guinean presidency, Colonel Amara Camara was scabbing of Sissoco Embaló.
“The crude lie and the words that are similar to intimidation are nowadays backward practices that do not honor its author and tarnish the image of ECOWAS at the same time. We cannot bear this shame,” one of the strongmen in Conakry, who is also the Permanent Secretary of the transitional presidency wrote.
The Guinean military authorities have also described as a “lie” knowingly maintained by the current chair of ECOWAS a so-called 24-month transition agreement.
In fact, in his media appearance, the president of Guinea-Bissau had declared that during a visit to Guinea he had agreed with the junta a two-year transition.
Colonel Amara Camara denied such an agreement took place, adding that Guinea has been dealing with puppets.
Guinean Prime Minister Dr. Bernard Goumou added to the reaction by describing Embalo’s statement against Guinea as “inappropriate and rude.”
CD/fss/as/APA