CONAKRY, Guinea
Guinea's new Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah has suggested the generals that seized power in a 2021 coup will delay a return to civilian rule until at least 2025.
The economic crisis Conakry is
battling first requires lowering political and social tensions in the West
African capital paralyzed by a general strike at the end of last month, the
prime minister told Radio France International in an interview broadcast
Tuesday.
A referendum to change the
constitution is expected to be held by the end of the year, said Oury Bah, who
was appointed on February 27, the second day of the strike.
"The other electoral
processes will follow," he said.
"There are a lot of
contingencies," the prime minister added, admitting there would be
"some delays."
"In a context of
economic, financial fragility we have to work to stabilize and ease the
political situation to have the possibility to look at and follow the stages of
a calendar in relative calm."
"So the aim is to
complete that and I think 2025 is a good period to crown the whole
process."
General Mamady Doumbouya took
power in a September 2021 coup and pledged to hand over to civilians after a
transition period running to the end of this year to allow time for reforms
after decades of instability.
The prime minister denied the
regime was seeking to hang on to power, saying: "The leadership running
Guinea wants Guinea to be a normal country again."
Under international pressure,
the junta promised to hand over to elected civilians by the end of 2024, but
the opposition has accused it of authoritarian drift.
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