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IFES - Guinea

Guinea

Located in West Africa, Guinea has a population of approximately 8 million people, 51% of whom are women and 45% under the age of 30. Once a French colony, it was the first African country to gain independence in 1958. The country is rich in natural resources, most of which have yet to be exploited. Following a one-party, authoritarian First Republic, the current president, Lansana Conté, came to power through a coup in 1984. Even though Guinea opted for multiparty system in 1991, the president recently began his third term following controversial 2003 elections and changes to the national constitution that made it possible for him to run indefinitely. Despite its severe economic problems, Guinea has maintained political stability in an unstable region. However, in January 2005, Conté survived an assassination attempt, and some are worried that Guinea could be headed towards state failure.

Limited democratic gains have been achieved in Guinea over the past decade, and the democratic process there still faces transitional hurdles of a cultural and institutional nature. However, in early 2005 the government has shown some improvement as it tries to reestablish partnerships with the international community and financial institutions. The president recently signed off on legislation permitting the liberalization of the airwaves and, additionally, opposition parties have been allowed to circulate freely and hold meetings. Most political parties are organized primarily along ethnic lines and rely more on their leaders’ notoriety than on well-defined policies. Also, power is not shared equally among the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government, hindering the establishment of the rule of law.

Current Projects

Technical Assistance to the Electoral Process

In Guinea, IFES provided technical assistance to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to fulfill its mandate during the elections initially scheduled for the end of 2008. This assistance focused on strengthening commissioners' operational capacity and commitment to electoral integrity on the national and local level. To accomplish this goal, IFES established a working partnership with the CENI, which led to a strategic planning seminar, subsequent trainings, and five one-week study tours in other West African countries for the commissioners. In addition, IFES assists the CENI in its efforts to keep the population informed about the electoral process with a national public awareness campaign, mainly targeting women, as well as a series of electoral stakeholders' roundtables.

Past Projects in Guinea »