The birth of a new partnership between Guinea-Bissau and Brazil

Federica Lombardi – Research Intern at Global Human Rights Defense 

On the 24th of August, the President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalò left the country to embark on a four-days long visit to Brazil upon invitation from the Brazilian President. In fact, Embalò flew to Brazil on board of a Brazilian Air Force plane, an arrangement that was apparently set up to overcome the travel difficulties posed by the ongoing pandemic.

President Bolsonaro welcomed him with a formal official ceremony in the Palácio do Planalto, the official site of the Brazilian government. The purpose of the visit was to review the partnership and bilateral agenda between the two countries. Speaking to the press, President Bolsonaro stated “we are happy to welcome the President of Guinea-Bissau. Your country is the gateway to West Africa. I have already made a commitment with him to visit his country at the first opportunity. We have very old bonds of friendship and cooperation between our countries”. In response, President Embalò reiterated that Guinea-Bissau saw Brazil as a brother, as it never turned its back on the country despite the cyclical crises affecting the country. Brazil was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Guinea-Bissau in 1974 and since then, it has never stopped assisting the country. During one of their initial meetings, the Presidents specifically talked about cooperating in the field of agriculture, health and defense.  The Guinean Head of State stated, “Brazil has a very important technology, which is capable of supporting Guinea-Bissau in personal training, so that we can develop our country and also help Guinea-Bissau in transforming and intensifying our economic and business relations with Brazil. It is an extensive but realistic agenda”.

Many have expressed concerns regarding the strengthening of the relationship between the two countries as the Guinean President has been criticized for the authoritarian turn it brought to the country, with some going as far as calling him the “Bolsonaro of Africa”.

(Guilherme Mazui/G1)

Bibliography 

Agencia Brazil, ‘Guiné-Bissau quer diversificar relacionamento com o Brasil’ (O Povo, 24 August 2021). Accessed at https://www.opovo.com.br/noticias/politica/2021/08/24/guine-bissau-quer-diversificar-relacionamento-com-o-brasil.html.

Guilherme Mazui, ‘Criticado por autoritarismo, president da Guiné Bissau é recebido no Planalto por Bolsonaro’ (G1, 24 August 2021). Accessed at https://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2021/08/24/bolsonaro-recebe-presidente-da-guine-bissau-no-palacio-do-planalto.ghtml.

O Democrata Guiné-Bissau, ‘Bolsonaro promote visitor Guiné-Bissau e colaborar na agricultura, saúde e defesa’ (24 August 2021). Accessed at https://www.odemocratagb.com/?p=32488

O Democrata Guiné-Bissau, ‘Presidente da Guiné-Bissau inicia hoje visita de quatro dias ao Brasil’ (24 August 2021). Accessed at https://www.odemocratagb.com/?p=32476