French President Visits Guinea Bissau

President Macron has arrived in Guinea Bissau for an official visit.

The French head of state was received at the Osvaldo Vieira airport in the Guinean capital by his Guinean counterpart, President Umaro Embaló.

This business visit comes as, Mr. Umaro assumed the rotating presidency of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS for one year.

President Macron’s visit is highly anticipated as the streets were full of people chanting his name and waving flags in a bid to express their delight and support for his visit.

This historic occasion also comes at a time of turmoil for the West African country, which is plagued by political crises. In May, Mr. Umaro announced the dissolution of parliament and the calling of early parliamentary elections by the end of the year.

This followed a few weeks after a new coup attempt on February 1, in which 11 people were killed according to the government.

Report says that Mr. Umaro presented the February 1st coup as directly linked to drug trafficking, who use the territory to transport cocaine from Latin America to Europe, with the suspected complicity of army officials.

AFFRICANEWS/CO