Guinea. Economic analysis

The Constitution was adopted on December 23, 1990, when Guinea was proclaimed a presidential republic. The President is elected by way of popular vote for a five year term. He possesses the right to be re-elected, forms and heads the Guinean government, holds the position of the Supreme Commander.

Today's President of the Republic of Guinea is general Lansana Conte. He came to power by way of a military coup in April, 1984. He won the country's first democratic multi-party presidential elections of December 19, 1993. Finally, in course of the elections of December 14, 1998 Conte was re-elected for another 5 years.

The government (acts since January 1st, 1999) is headed by the President and comprises the prime-minister and 22 ministers. Lamine Sidime was appointed Prime-Minister on March 9th, 1999. This position isn't provided by the Constitution and was introduced in July, 1996. The Premier's duties are strictly specified: he is responsible for the work of the ministries. Foreign Minister Zaynul Abidin Sanusi had held the positions of Minister for Internal Affairs and Decentralization. The Parliament (the National Congress) was elected on the 11th of June, 1995 for a five-year term. It comprises 114 deputies, among them 71 representing the governing Party for Unity and Progress (PUP) and 41 members of opposition parties, including Rally for the Guinean People (19 representatives), Union for the New Republic (9 representatives), Party for Renewal and Progress (9 representatives) and others.

Bubakar Biro Diadlo is the Chairman of the National Congress. Municipal councils are bodies of local self-government. They are elected for four years. The Supreme Court is in charge of the judicial branch. Judges of all levels are appointed by the head of state.

Local executive power is entrusted to governors of administrative regions and to prefects of administrative centres who are appointed directly by the President.

Trade-unions - National Confederation of workers, General Union of workers, National Organization of free trade-unions, Free trade-union of Guinean teachers and a number of non-governmental organizations - don't play any considerable role in the country's political life. Radio and television are the main sources of information due to the low literacy level of the population. They are under governmental control. Radio and TV use local languages as well as the official French. Among the most popular are the newspaper "Oroya" and the informative bulletin of the press agency of Guinea.

The armed forces consist of ground forces, naval forces, Air Forces and gendarmery (a total of 13 thousand people). There are also other force structures, such as the police, the republican Guards and the custom service. These last ones count about 4 thousand people.

The country's internal situation is marked by relative stability. Guinean leaders generally manage to maintain social peace, keep on with the economic reforms of the market and ensure the security of Guinean boundaries. Along with all this go the following negative factors: difficult social position of the majority of the population, increase in unemployment and crime, the unsolved problems with the army, corruption in the government and the strongly destabilizing influence of a crisis in neighbour countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau.