Guinea: Colonel seizes power from Alpha Condĩ

A video has appeared on national TV showing President Condĩ under arrest, surrounded by soldiers claiming to have dissolved the government and the constitution, and to have closed all land and air borders. According to a BBC report on 7 September 2021, the leader of the coup, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, has said a new union government would be formed within the next weeks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, ECOWAS, and the African Union have condemned the coup. Yonas Dembele, World Watch Research analyst gives some background information: "Guinea is one of the poorest countries on the African continent and in the world. Despite being rich in natural resources, years of unrest and economic mismanagement have brought the country to its present situation. When President Condĩ won the elections in 2010, it was the country"s first democratic vote ever and, it was expected that the country, which had been mired by decades of corrupt, authoritarian rule and political turmoil, was about to experience a fresh start. However, Guineans have been highly disappointed with the lack of improvement to their lives. To make matters worse, the president organized a referendum in 2020 to modify the constitution and extend his term limit." Yonas Dembele continues: "It is not clear if the military junta will continue to curtail the freedom of expression or assembly as was done in President Conde"s government. Military juntas generally have a poor track record for delivering on their promises as there is no-one to hold them to account. There is the possibility that the security situation in the country might deteriorate due to the fragility of the political situation. This could then create a fertile environment for Islamist militants to infiltrate the country and gain ground, leading ultimately to serious consequences for the future of Christians in the country."