Guinea PM hints return to civilian rule delayed until 2025

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.