On Monday, Guinea’s ruling junta announced the dissolution of the government in power from July 2022, as revealed in a Facebook video posted by the presidency.
General Amara Camara, the junta’s spokesperson, did not provide a specific reason for the dissolution or indicate when a new government would be announced..
“The government is dissolved,” Camara said, surrounded by around 20 uniformed soldiers, some of whom were wearing masks and carrying weapons.
“Current affairs will be managed by the cabinet directors, secretary generals and deputy secretary generals until a new government is put in place,” he added.
Since September 2021, Guinea has been under the control of a military junta that ousted the nation’s first democratically-elected president.
Facing international pressure, junta leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya has pledged to return governance to elected civilians by the conclusion of 2024.
The military asserts that this transitional period is essential for implementing extensive reforms in Guinea, a country rich in natural resources but grappling with persistent poverty.
Despite these intentions, the opposition accuses the junta of authoritarian tendencies, citing the ban on all demonstrations in 2022, the arrest of opposition figures, civil society members, and journalists, and the recent weeks-long restriction of internet access.