Culture
Guinean film director Flora Gomes, educated in Havana, has attracted international attention. His film Republica de Mininus (Children’s Republic) from 2012 is about a small country ruled by children since all the adults have disappeared.
Inspired by the film, a new domestic children’s rights organization, Republica di Mininus Hoje (RdMH), was formed and a special children’s parliament was set up. He has also made the documentary As Duas Faces da Guerra, together with Diana Andringa, where they interview veterans from Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and Portugal about colonialism, the liberation struggle and what happened next.
One of the leading styles of music in the country is called gumbe. It mixes domestic rhythms with Caribbean and Portuguese tones. Singer Manecas Costa has made a name for himself internationally.
Almost all Guinean literature is written in Portuguese. Poetry played a dominant role in what was written in the 1990s, much of which was about the struggle against the Portuguese colonial power and thoughts about what would come next. Among the more prominent authors are Amilcar Cabral, the hero of the liberation struggle, the poet and musician José Carlos Schwartz, and Waldir Araújo, who now lives in Portugal but who mainly writes about his homeland, Carlos Lopes and Abdulai Silá who wrote the first novel published in Guinea -Bissau.
2020
June
The president dismisses several ministers
June 28
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, through the decree, dismisses the Ministers for Defense, Home Affairs, the Economy, Agriculture and Energy without stating any reason. The layoffs are taking place before a parliamentary session in which a new government is to be appointed.
- Countryaah: Overview of the capital city of Guinea-Bissau, including information about its population, economy, geography, history and map.
Nightly curfew expires
June 25
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló announces that the nightly curfew imposed to fight covid-19 will cease, but at the same time extends through decree other crisis measures introduced in March. Guinea-Bissau has 1,556 confirmed cases of covid-19 and 19 deaths have been reported.
May
The committee will review the constitution
May 11
Disputed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has appointed a committee to review the country’s constitution. The current constitution stipulates that power should be shared between the president and parliament, but for several years a conflict between the various institutions has paralyzed political life. However, it is not known who will sit on the committee and what proposals it will discuss.
Cargo herbal tea from Madagascar is received by the President
May 2
A cargo with a herbal tea from Madagascar arrives in Guinea-Bissau. Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina claims the tea can cure covid-19 in ten days. The World Health Organization WHO emphasizes that this has not been tested and that there is no scientific evidence to help. Self-proclaimed Guinean President Umaro Sissoco Embalo goes to the airport to receive the cargo. His chief of staff says the tea should now be distributed among the 14 countries of the West African partner organization Ecowas.
April
The first death in Covid-19 in Guinea-Bissau
26th of April
According to Abbreviationfinder, Guinea-Bissau reports its first death in covid-19. The country has 53 confirmed cases of the disease. The announcement comes at the same time as the disputed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló extends the national emergency introduced in March for another two weeks.
Ecowas recognizes Sissoco Embaló as president
April 23
The West African Cooperation Organization Ecowas recognizes Umaro Sissoco Embaló as President of Guinea-Bissau. However, the heads of state at Ecowas demand that a referendum on constitutional reform be held within six months. According to the electoral authority, Sissoco Embaló won a disputed election in late December and proclaimed himself president in February, but the government he has nominated has not been approved in the country’s parliament, the National Assembly. The Supreme Court has also not ruled on his opponent Domingos Simões Pereiras appeal against the result. Shortly before, Sissoco Embaló’s Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam has presented his government statement and is intended to be debated in the National Assembly in May.
Long prison sentence for drug smuggling
2 April
Twelve people are sentenced to prison sentences for drug smuggling. The longest sentence, 16 years, is given to the two people considered to have played a leading role, a Colombian, Ricardo Ariza Monje (Ramon) and Braima Seidi Ba, who have dual citizenship in Guinea-Bissau and Portugal. The others are sentenced to a sentence of between four and 14 years.
March
Guinea-Bissau faces emergency permit to combat covid-19
March 25th
Guinea-Bissau reports its first cases of the covid-19 viral disease. The following day, a national emergency permit is announced. However, several measures to combat the new corona virus had already been implemented. Schools and borders have been closed, religious activities have been stopped, including funerals, sporting events have been set and people’s freedom of movement has been restricted. Later, a national health plan is adopted, which is largely funded by the World Health Organization WHO, various UN agencies and other international donors.
Guinea-Bissau stops all air traffic
March 19
Guinea-Bissau faces a ban on all air traffic to the country. The measure is being taken to try to prevent the new corona virus from becoming established in the country.
Sissoco Embaló forms government, accused of coup
March 2
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló appoints a new government. This is despite the fact that he has been rejected by Parliament, the National Assembly. The opposition describes his entry as a coup, and demands that the Supreme Court decide on the end of 2019 elections, not just the Election Commission that approved Sissoco Embaló’s victory.
Cassamá resigns as interim president
March 1st
President Cipriano Cassamá, whom Parliament has appointed as interim president , resigns. He justifies the decision that he and his family have been threatened and worried that the political crisis will lead to more violence, and in extension to civil war. At the same time, Aristides Gomes thinks he is still the country’s head of government. His home is guarded by soldiers from the regional force who were sent to the country in 2012. All ministries are closed, according to the British media company BBC, and have been surrounded by soldiers. At the same time, everyday life seems to be going on as usual in Bissau.
February
Political chaos continues
February 28
It is now clear that the presidential elections at the end of 2019 did not help to resolve the deep political crisis in the country. New President Umaro Sissoco Embaló dismisses Prime Minister Aristides Gomes and appoints Nuno Gomes Nabiam as new head of government, but he is not endorsed by Parliament, with PAIGC, the party headed by President’s rival Domingos Simões Pereira. Parliament later appointed President Cipriano Cassamá as new interim president .
Sissoco Embaló is sworn in as President
February 27th
Acting President José Mário Vaz formally hands over power to Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who won the presidential election in late 2019 (see December 2019). The improvised ceremony is held in the foyer of a hotel in Bissau. However, several high-ranking politicians, including the Speaker of Parliament, Cipriano Cassamá, many foreign diplomats and judges in the Supreme Court choose not to attend. However, the election of PAIGC’s Domingos Simões Pereira continues to question the result, claiming that Sissoco Embaló won the election by means of cheating, and asks the Supreme Court to review the election as approved by the Election Commission.
January
Simões Pereira continues to question the results of the presidential election
January 17
The Election Commission CNE now presents the final result in the second round of the presidential election on December 29, 2019. According to it, Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Madem-G15 receives 53.55 while Domingos Simões Pereira receives 46.45 percent. Simões Pereira, however, chooses to continue to question the result, via a video recording posted on social media, he says that the election was filled with irregularities. A spokesman for Simões Pereira’s PAIGC says the Supreme Court will now decide on an appeal from the party.
HD dismisses Simões Pereira’s appeal
January 12
The Supreme Court rejects Domingos Simões Pereira’s appeal against the outcome of the second round of presidential elections in late 2019 (see December 2019). It now invites the Election Commission to publish the final result of the election.
Simões Pereira appeals against the election result
January 3rd
Domingos Simões Pereira, who lost the presidential election on December 29, 2019 (see December 2019), appeals to the Supreme Court to appeal the result. The next day he says that the number of votes cast is 30,000 more than the number of registered voters.