Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau's moves toward democracy have been complicated by a crippled economy devastated by civil war and the military's predilection for governmental meddling. In 1994, 20 years after independence from Portugal, the country's first multiparty legislative and presidential elections were held. President Joao Bernardo Vieira, who had overthrown post-independence leader Luis Cabral in 1980, was himself ousted by a military junta in May 1999, following a civil war that broke out the preceding year. An interim government turned over power in February 2000 when opposition leader Koumba Yala took office following two rounds of transparent presidential elections.
Yala pledged to promote national reconciliation, balance the economy, restore production, reduce public spending and cancel ministerial perks. However, in October 2001 the United Nations Security Council expressed concern over the political situation and called on the government to respect the constitution and the judiciary -- after Yala announced that he would sack some 60% of the country's civil servants and replace them with members of his own political party. Yala had early sacked three Supreme Court judges, citing corruption. Yala was ousted in a bloodless military coup in September 2003. The military chief who led the coup said the move was, in part, a response to the worsening economic and political situation.
In August 2005, Guinea Bissau's electoral commission declared Joao Vieira, the former military ruler and recent exile, as the winner of the presidential election the preceding month. Although reports stated that Vieira had won more than 55 percent of the vote, his electoral opponents refused to concede defeat, alleging election irregularities. The electoral commission stated that the irregularities were not significant enough to affect the outcome of the election. EU observers declared the polls free and fair, but rival supporters clashed in the capital shortly after the initial results were announced.
Once hailed as a potential model for Third World development, Guinea-Bissau is now one of the poorest countries in the world. Health conditions and rates of infant mortality, life expectancy and literacy are poor even by West African standards. The country is also saddled with massive foreign debt and an economy that relies heavily on foreign aid.
Travelers should be aware that while Guinea-Bissau is recovering from a debilitating civil war, the political situation still lacks stability and that conditions remain unsettled and potentially dangerous. If travel to Guinea-Bissau is required, visitors should avoid the northwestern border area with the Senegalese province of Casamance (west of Farim), including the border crossing at Mpack/Sao Domingos. This area is subject to continuing insecurity involving Senegalese rebel groups and the Guinea-Bissau military. If traveling overland from Senegal use border crossings in eastern Senegal, e.g. Salikenie.
