A Mauritanian soldier runs as he and others break up a crowd of demonstrators against an army coup in the city of Nouakchott, Mauritania, August 2008.

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Don’t give up

In 2004, the European Union opened consultations with Guinea which produced promises of democratisation from the Conakry authorities. Follow-up missions on the ground were planned up until 14 April 2009.

Following the coup d’état which followed the death of President Lansana Conté in December 2008, the military junta in the form of the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD) received a favourable reception from a Guinean public anxious to break with the past and to avoid destabilisation of the country. The CNDD nevertheless seized power by force, which was condemned by the EU, the African Union, ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), the USA and Nigeria. Guinea has been suspended by the African Union, ECOWAS and the International Organisation for the French-Speaking World (OIF). In contrast, the regime has been welcomed by Libya, Senegal, Mauritania and Gambia. ECOWAS has started mediation, and the African Union, UNO, France and the EU have sent missions.

Richard Moncrieff, director of the West Africa project of the International Crisis Group, an NGO, believes that some of the new leaders are sincere when they talk about ridding the government of the corruption of the Conté regime. But others stand accused of serious human rights violations.

In a letter to the President of the CNDD, Moussa Dadis Camara, and the Prime Minister, Kabiné Kamara, the EU invited the Guinean authorities to take part in political consultations. Meeting on 29 April in Brussels, the two parties agreed on a roadmap, setting out the holding of elections before the end of the year, an agreement between all parties (CNDD, government, political parties, unions and civil society), the establishment of a National Transitional Council with the powers and prerogatives of a constituent assembly and urgent measures to ensure the respect of human rights and basic freedoms.

Cooperation with Mauritania suspended

Following the coup d’état on 6 August 2008 which ousted the elected president of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, the EU entered into consultations with the representatives of the military junta on 20 October. It closed talks on 6 April 2009 as they resulted in failure with the Mauritanian leaders unable to provide sufficient guarantees of a return to constitutional order. The EU has put cooperation with Mauritania on hold for two years with the exception of humanitarian aid and direct support for the people.

In the meantime, in March 2009 the European Commission welcomed the decision by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to take action against “people in power in civil and military positions” involved in the coup d’état.

The EU has made the gradual reestablishment of cooperation dependent on a series of measures to be taken by Nouakchott over the next 24 months.

In the event of a consensual solution for an end to the crisis and a legal framework enabling the holding of free and transparent presidential elections, the EU will release funding, including the redevelopment of the ore tanker port of Nouadhibou.

In the event of the “irreversible implementation” of this consensual solution, it would support the ending of the crisis and the organisation of elections and pursue the programme of support for justice, etc. It would also implement all the programmes provided for under the 8th and 9th EDF, but not yet placed under contract.

Only the complete return to constitutional order will enable the lifting of all restrictions and the implementation of the full €156M from the 10th EDF.

On 15 April, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, head of the junta, stepped down from the army and his position as President of the High Council of State to stand as a candidate in the presidential elections. He is promising a “new Mauritania” and “genuine democracy”. Due to take place on 6 June, but boycotted in principle by his opponents, the ballot will be closely monitored by the international community.

Guinea Bissau – avoiding chaos

The assassination of President Joao Bernardo Vieira by unidentified soldiers at the beginning of March 2009 was not considered to be a coup d’état, and Guinea Bissau was not suspended by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council. The army has promised to respect the constitutional route and the President of the Assembly, Raimundo Pereira, interim head of state, has 60 days in which to organise the presidential election. The country remains highly unstable, blighted by corruption and drug trafficking – it is a key crossing point for South American cocaine en route to Europe – which risks undermining any democratic process. The opposition has demanded the resignation of the government which it accuses of being incapable of controlling the army and stopping military aggression.

The European Parliament has called on the EU and the international community to continue its aid, while keeping the country under surveillance, and to maintain the European Security and Defence Policy’s mission which has been supporting the reform of the security sector since June 2008. According to Alioune Tine, President of the NGO Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme (African Association for the Protection of Human Rights), which is very active in West Africa, nothing will be achieved until the army is reformed in Guinea Bissau, Mauritania and Guinea Conakry.

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