Guinea-Bissau: In Need of a State, 07/28/08
Guinea-Bissau: In Need of a State
AfricaFocus Bulletin
Jul 28, 2008 (080728)
(Reposted from sources cited below)
Editor's Note
"Drugs arrive by boat or by air from Venezulea, Colombia, or Brazil
to be stored in Guinea-Bissau before being redistributed in smaller
lots to Europe. The process is relatively easy for the
traffickers. The state of Guinea-Bissau has no logistical capacity
to control its territory, particularly some 90 coastal islands." -
International Crisis Group.
Spurred in large part by the need to combat the drug trade,
international support for Guinea-Bissau is likely to increase, as
critical elections are scheduled for November this year.
Nevertheless, as noted in the International Crisis Group report
"Guinea-Bissau: In Need of a State," released in early July, the
country still lacks functioning state institutions, more than three
decades after its independence from Portugal.
This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains the executive summary of the
International Crisis Group report and excerpts from a visit to
Guiniea-Bissau by a delegation from the UN's Peacebuilding Support
unit. The full Crisis Group report is only available in French, at
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5549&l=2
Given that international attention to Guinea-Bissau is so
infrequent, and that this report provides a very clear analysis and
summary of events in Guinea-Bissau since independence, the web
version of this AfricaFocus Bulletin also includes excerpts from
the full report, in French, at
http://www.africafocus.org/docs08/gb0807.php#fr
For additional links and background on Guinea-Bissau, see
http://www.africafocus.org/country/guineabissau.php
There is also extensive background information in Portuguese and
English, including regular UN reports, at the site of the United
Nations Peace-Building Support Office in Guinea Bissau
(UNOGBIS)http://www.unogbis.org/homepage.html and on the United
Nations website at
http://www.un.org/peace/peacebuilding/pbc-countrymtgs.shtml#gb
For the latest report on drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau and
other African countries, see
http://www.incb.org/pdf/annual-report/2007/en/chapter-03.pdf
For a recent news report on Guinea-Bissau's only major export crop
(cashews), see
http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSL1146527220080716
For a Washington Post report on new Pentagon interest in drug control in Guinea-Bissau
and other West African states, see
http://tinyurl.com/3ues4j
For a selection of books on Guinea-Bissau available from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk,
covering both pre-independence and post-independence history, visit
http://www.africafocus.org/books/afbooks.php#gb1 or
http://www.africafocus.org/books/afbooks_uk.php#gb1
++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++++++++
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Visit http://www.africafocus.org/books/afbooks.php (Amazon.com)
or http://www.africafocus.org/books/afbooks_uk.php (Amazon.co.uk)
In addition to books on Guinea-Bissau, noted above, the country section now contains
selections of ten books each on ten countries, including Botswana, Eritrea, Liberia,
Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, and Sudan. If your country of
interest is not yet included, check out
http://www.africafocus.org/books/aboutbooks.php to
find out how to make a selection of your own and send it in.
And special thanks to AfricaFocus subscriber Rae Hendriksz, of the Priority Africa
Network in the San Francisco Bay Area, for sending in a selection of African prison
memoirs to be
featured. Check them out at
http://www.africafocus.org/books/themes.php (Amazon.com) or
http://www.africafocus.org/books/themes_uk.php (Amazon.co.uk).
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Guinea-Bissau: In Need of a State
Africa Report N 142
2 July 2008
International Crisis Group
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5549&l=1
Executive Summary
Guinea-Bissau needs a state. Its political and administrative
structures are insufficient to guarantee control of its territory,
assure minimum public services or counter-balance the army's
dominance. This core weakness has been at the root of recurrent
political crises, coups d'etat and the proliferation of criminal
networks. Despite advancing little in 35 years of independence,
Guinea-Bissau appears to have gained new momentum thanks to the
signing of a Stability Pact by the three most important political
parties in March 2007. Nevertheless, there is real risk of it
becoming a narco-state and a political and administrative
no-man's-land, attractive to trafficking and terrorist networks in
the Maghreb. The international community should urgently support
the government's efforts to consolidate democracy, reform the
security sector and construct viable state structures.
In Portuguese Guinea the colonial power never built the political,
administrative or bureaucratic systems capable of establishing the
foundations from which a true post-colonial state could emerge.
Salazar's Portugal refused to grant independence, forcing
Guinea-Bissau to fight for self-rule - the only country in the
region to gain independence through armed force. No leader since
1974 has tried to establish the necessary structures for a
functioning democratic state. Consequently, the country's
infrastructure, bureaucracy, administration, political institutions
and human- and social-development indexes remain largely unaltered
since the first years of independence.
The first coup d'etat after six years of independence, was a direct
result of nepotism and a client-based power structure created by
the sole political party. This remained the model of reference for
future leaders. The first, Bernardo Joao Vieira, kept power for
almost twenty years by incorporating the army into his survival
strategy. After his fall and civil war (1998-1999), the transition
to democratic rule finally broke down due to the army's influence.
Vieira's elected successor, Kumba Yala, also relied heavily on the
army, until it overthrew him in 2003. Vieira's return secured the
army's political control. Presently, the movement towards greater
reform and democracy, fuelled by the Stability Pact and promoted by
the government of Martinho Ndafa Cabi, faces the same military
resistance and is hampered by the continued absence of functioning
political and administrative institutions.
The creation of a democratic state is increasingly urgent as the
risk of criminalisation is growing. Cocaine trafficking from Latin
America has increased tremendously in recent years, and the country
has become a pivotal transit point in the route to European
markets. Hundreds of kilograms of the drug are estimated to pass
through each week. Revenue from the illicit trade has already
corrupted military leaders and political personalities, threatening
the democratic process.
Fundamental changes to the way in which the country is run are
required. Above all, army reform is needed most urgently to free
the political system from military interference. The stakes are
considerable both for the country and the West African region,
already touched by repeated political crises (Guinea) and drawn-out
peace-consolidation processes (Sierra Leone, Liberia).
The international community has taken tentative steps to lend its
assistance. A program of reforms addressing major security sector
and public administration challenges was adopted in 2007 and, at
the request of the prime minister, the country was added to the
agenda of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commision (PBC).
However, for these steps to have tangible results for the people of
Guinea-Bissau, foreign partners must galvanise their efforts and
seize this real opportunity for success.
Dakar/Brussels, 2 July 2008
Report of the mission to Guinea-Bissau of the Peacebuilding
Commission's Country-specific configuration on Guinea-Bissau
6-11 April 2008
[Excerpts only. This full report and other background information
and reports are available on
http://www.un.org/peace/peacebuilding/pbc-countrymtgs.shtml#gb]
-
Introduction
-
A delegation of the Peacebuilding Commission's
country-specific configuration on Guinea-Bissau visited
Guinea-Bissau from 6 to 11 April 2008. The purposes of the
mission and key messages, the full programme of the visit and the
composition of the delegation are recorded in Annexes 2, 3 and 4.
-
The delegation met with the President, the Prime Minister, the
Speaker of Parliament, the Foreign Minister, the Ministers of
Defence, Justice, Administration Reform, Economy, Social
Solidarity, Health, Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, Veteran
Affairs and the Secretary of State for International Cooperation,
the General Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and held meetings
with the diplomatic community, UNOGBIS, the UN Country Team, the
National Steering Committee, the National Electoral Commission,
civil society, including NGOs and the private sector, and
political parties. The summary records of the discussion are
presented in Annex 1.
-
The PBC mission visited several sites in and outside of
Bissau, which illustrated some of the peacebuilding challenges
faced by the country. These visits included a demining project in
Bissau; a women's group agricultural project; a cashew nut
processing plant; the electrical power plants in Bissau and
Bafata; military barracks in Bissau and in Canchungo; the
premises of the Judiciary Police and the prison in Bissau; and a
hospital in Canchungo.
-
The members of the mission express appreciation to the
Government of Guinea- Bissau and the United Nations team on the
ground for their support and assistance during the visit.
-
Assessment
-
... It seems that many problems faced by Guinea-Bissau stem
from the prevailing institutional fragility of the state,
constraining the government to effectively manage key aspects of
public, political, security and development policies and in
delivering basic public services to the population. ...
-
There is a vicious cycle in which the absence of responses to
the most elementary needs of the population sets the conditions
for political instability, which in turn further enhances the
vulnerability of the already fragile state. The consolidation of
civilian rule was viewed by the delegation as one of the most
important indicators of successful peacebuilding in the country.
...
-
The delegation found that the government has high expectations
regarding the PBC and hopes its engagement with the Commission
bring tangible results. From a political point of view, the PBC
could contribute to ensuring greater stability, as it
consolidates its stance as a reliable intermediary between the
government and its bilateral and international partners.
-
The PBC delegation was of the view that the process of
national reconciliation would be greatly enhanced if the key
challenges are properly addressed with a strong political will
among the leaders of the country and the support of the
international community. Similarly, the PBC delegation recognised
the need to boost the country's efforts in capacity building,
particularly institutional capacity building, translating the
government's political commitment to the peacebuilding efforts in
concrete actions.
-
In light of the increased attention currently being given to
the country, as well as the likely increase in donor activity,
the PBC delegation stressed the need to improve donor
coordination mechanisms to allow for a better coordination of
assistance by the international community and other stakeholders
...
-
Conclusions and recommendations
-
The PBC delegation identified, through its interactions with
the government, the following key areas of priority attention:
elections, security sector reform (SSR), rule of law and fight
against drug-trafficking, illegal migration and other forms of
trans-national organised criminal activities, public
administration reform, the reactivation of the economy as well as
rebuilding of the infrastructure, particularly in the energy
sector.
-
Given the urgency and magnitude of many of the problems faced
by Guinea-Bissau, the delegation confirmed the impression that
the peacebuilding strategy should be based on a two-track
approach, combining strategic planning with quick impact
projects. In this connection, it is reasonable that urgency,
importance and value-added be the criteria for selection of the
Quick Win Projects. At the same time, the mission recognized that
the following criteria for assistance will also be useful: (a)
contribution to promoting stability; (b) contribution to
sustained socio-economic growth and development, which enables
the country to stand on its own feet; and (c) contribution to job
creation.
-
Elections
-
The date for the forthcoming parliamentary elections has been
set to 16 November 2008. Most interlocutors agreed that
preparations for the elections were lagging behind, notably with
respect to the national census, voter registration and the civic
education campaign. The rainy season, which has started now and
ends just before the elections could further complicate the
preparations for the process. A major potential constraint to
holding the elections, however, is the lack of financial support
for the preparation and holding of the elections. Financial
assistance is needed to pay the salary arrears from the previous
elections and for payment for the preparations for the November
elections. The total budget for the 2008 elections amounts to US$
8.677 million (US$ 2.67 million for voter registration; US$ 4.23
million for costs covered by the National Electoral Commission;
US$ 1.76 million for electoral arrears). ...
-
Security Sector Reform
-
The PBC delegation held a separate meeting with the Ministers
of Defence and Justice on the ongoing SSR plan. The Ministers
underlined that the Government's priorities in SSR included
restructuring and modernisation of the current security forces.
The continued subordination of the military to civilian control
and the commitment to reduce the size of the armed forces were
considered as some of the most important aspects of peacebuilding
in Guinea-Bissau.
-
The restructuring of the security forces would lead to an
army size, appropriate to the needs and means of the country.
That size was estimated to be around 3,500 soldiers, excluding
the paramilitary, the police, border patrol and judiciary police.
...Those demobilized as part of the restructuring would need to
be provided with alternative economic activities. The possible
use of the instruments of micro-credit was mentioned in this
context.
-
As part of the modernisation of the security forces, an
immediate priority pertains to addressing their living
conditions. A visit to the barracks in Bissau and Bafata had
given the delegation a better appreciation of the poor living
conditions in the barracks and of the urgency of addressing them.
-
Next month, DPKO will conduct a full mapping exercise of the
SSR activities ongoing in Guinea-Bissau, which will be followed
by a DPKO assessment mission to the country, with a special focus
on the criminal and justice system. At the same time, there is
recognition that the EC/EU, is already providing considerable
support in this area, both on the short and medium to long term.
...
-
Rule of law and combating drug-trafficking, illegal migration
and other forms of trans-national organized criminal activities
-
Closely linked to the reform of the security forces is the
growing problem of drugtrafficking and trans-national organized
crime in Guinea-Bissau. The country's weak capacity to control
its isolated and dispersed islands, maritime borders and airspace
had made it easy for drug-traffickers to infiltrate the country
and establish transit bases for drugs on their way from South
America to Europe. Other forms of transnational illegal
activities, including illegal migration, take advantage of the
weak and ineffective security forces.
... ...
-
Reform of the Public administration
-
Reforming the public administration is one of the key
priorities of the government. The government's public sector
reform programme has three components: enhancement of the
professional competence of the public administration through
training and capacity building, improvement of public finance
management and improving of public sector systems and procedures.
-
The lack of adequate capacity has hindered the government's
ability to deliver basic social services, while the large size of
public administration has created difficulties in paying salaries
to civil servants. Clearing the backlog of salary arrears stands
as an indispensable step in public sector reform.
-
The modernisation and the strengthening of the public sector
requires a substantial increase in the current fiscal basis,
which in turn depends upon an effective process of reactivation
of the economy and the creation of a business-friendly
environment.
-
Energy
-
The Government of Guinea-Bissau faces an energy crisis. Not a
single generator is working properly at the electric power plant
in Bissau. The current output is provided by three leased
generators, which only provided a minimal amount of electricity.
Total production of energy reaches 2,5 MW, while the current
demand amounts to 20MW, exclusively for the capital.
-
... A project was being developed to exploit natural and
hydro power through the construction of a dam on the Gambia
River, with the support of the European Union and the African
Development Bank. Two roundtables had been held to that effect
and raised 65 percent of the funds needed for the project, which
amounted to a total of 1 billion. The project could start in
2008-2009 and could be finished within four to five years.
Guinea-Bissau's expected contribution to this regional project
would amount to 8 million. Once completed, the project would
only provide the energy needed for the short and medium term. As
demand would rise in the rest of the city and the country,
however, additional sources of energy would have to be
identified.
-
The World Bank and the EC were also funding a master plan to
identify and facilitate partnerships with additional partners and
stakeholders. The EC was investing in domestic and alternative
sources of energy through a regional project. The total cost of
the strategy and the master plan amounted to 29 million. The EC
is providing 4 million for a pumping system with solar energy
and an additional 3 million for a water treatment facility
powered by solar energy.
...
-
Reactivation of the economy and social areas
-
In spite of the huge challenges, Guinea-Bissau is a country
with great economic potential, especially in the agriculture and
fisheries sectors. To attract investment, both local and
international, however, the government will need to overcome a
number of obstacles, notably in the area of economic governance,
as well as improve legal and financial frameworks. The
reactivation of the economy calls for an effective reform of the
public sector, combined with measures to diversify and add value
to local products. Such an effort necessarily involves dealing
with the infrastructure bottlenecks, creating an enabling
environment for business and providing capacity building for
human resources. Sustained support from the international
community to match governmental efforts will enable the country
to embark on a path of stability, recovery and development.
...
from africafocus@igc.org
date Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 3:24 PM
subject Guinea-Bissau: In Need of a State
Page Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D.