While Guinea-Bissau has recently made steps towards embracing democratic rule, poverty, weak state institutions, and narcotics and weapons traffickers continue to jeopardize the country’s progress. Current President João Bernardo “Nino” Vieira was narrowly elected in July 2005 as an independent candidate. His candidacy divided the historical majority party, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), and a period of tension that defied party labels ensued between the president’s backers and his opponents. To defuse the political crisis, Guinea-Bissau’s three largest political parties—the PAIGC, the Party for Social Renewal (PRS), and the United Social Democratic Party (PUSD)—signed a “National Stability Pact” on March 13, 2007, in which they pledged to work together for the reconstruction and development of the country. The parties dedicated themselves to creating a coalition government of national unity whose program would include an ambitious agenda of reform and parliamentary elections in 2008. The agreement also provided for the creation of a new government.
In late March, the National Popular Assembly (ANP) passed a censure motion against the then-government and called for its replacement. After tense weeks of negotiation between the president and the political parties, Prime Minister Aristides Gomes resigned and President Vieira accepted the parties’ choice of PAIGC third vice-president Martinho N’Dafa Kabi as the new prime minister. Vieira assigned 40 percent of the new government’s ministerial portfolios to the PAIGC and the PRS respectively, with the PUSD assuming most of the remaining 20 percent. This distribution reflects percentages defined in the coalition agreement.
Despite ongoing concern in the international community over the drug trade, a history of fiscal irresponsibility, lack of law enforcement capacity, and easy access to arms, Kabi’s appointment and political parties’ adherence to the National Stability Pact have begun to restore international confidence in the country. The European Union, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) each recently pledged millions of dollars for agricultural development, fiscal reforms, and budget deficit reduction. The new government has made Guinea-Bissau’s reentry into the international community a priority, but the country continues to face significant obstacles to its development, chief among them economic stagnation and Guinea-Bissau’s growing role in the international narcotics trade.
Current Activities
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds an NDI program that aims to help the ANP address priority reforms identified in the Stability Pact. The Institute facilitates workshops to provide information and help legislators discuss these reforms, including changes to the election code and possible amendments to the Constitution. Under this program, NDI will provide training to parliamentary leadership and senior parliamentary staff in utilizing internet communication technologies in the parliamentary context. The program also continues an internship program NDI began with funding from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in July 2006. It affords nine qualified university graduates the opportunity to experience the inner workings of their country’s legislature while also providing committees with much-needed staff assistance. Interns have compiled reports, taken minutes of meetings, helped to establish archives for each of the committees, and conducted their own research projects in topics relevant to their committees’ specific areas. The benefits of the program include youth exposure and involvement in the political process in Guinea-Bissau; staff assistance for the ANP committees; stronger engagement by deputies in their committees; and greater understanding of roles and responsibilities of legislators through trainings and meetings for both interns and deputies.
In addition, NDI is working in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Dutch development organization SNV to provide targeted assistance to ANP deputies with funds from the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). Deputies participating in UNDEF activities have benefited from trainings on budget analysis, legislative oversight, and the administration of public hearings. NDI is also working with deputies from a range of parties to participate in a series of four radio programs to discuss ANP debates, hearings, and other events. Three of these radio sessions have already been broadcast nationally; the remaining one will be recorded and aired before the end of 2007.
Past Activities
From January through September 2006, NDI conducted a legislative strengthening program funded by USAID. The program’s first major activity, a stakeholder consultation, took place in February at the ANP building in Bissau. The aim of the stakeholder meeting was to gain feedback from ANP deputies and to discuss the direction and goals of the program. Discussants included NDI staff from Bissau and Washington, USAID representatives, ANP deputies, and members of the Brazilian government. The second major activity, held on March 4, was a workshop for the Defense and Security Committee of the ANP which aimed to help the deputies better understand their committee’s powers.
In May 2006, NDI organized a week of Technical Exchanges for ANP Committees on topics such as Health and Education, Women and Children, and Economics and Agriculture. The forums, which aimed to encourage deputies to foster links with civil society groups, gave attendees the occasion to obtain valuable information from local and international experts on important national issues.
The following month, NDI conducted an introductory training on parliamentary roles and responsibilities in the ANP building. Over four days, the Institute’s trainers led discussions and facilitated small group exercises and case studies on: roles and responsibilities of legislators; ethics; public participation and building public trust; and negotiation and conflict resolution. Each day consisted of two two-hour sessions on one of the four topics. NDI chose these topics based on the immediate determined needs of the deputies. The Hon. Feliciano Mata, a deputy and Liberation Front of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party whip in the Mozambican National Assembly, assisted NDI’s trainers as a speaker and resource person.
From July 2006 through September 2007, with funding from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), NDI conducted a legislative strengthening program that paired interns with committees of the ANP.
NDI's program in Guinea-Bissau is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF).
Contact Information
For further information on our programs in Guinea-Bissau, please contact:
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