Guinea‘s military junta expressed its discontent to Russia’s ambassador following the Russian embassy’s caution about potential unrest in Conakry after the dissolution of the government by junta leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya.
The junta leader dissolved the government on Monday, ordering the closure of all borders without providing an explanation for the move. In response, Ambassador Alexey Popov apologized to the junta, citing a misunderstanding.
Col Doumbouya, who assumed power in a 2021 coup, not only dissolved the government but also directed the confiscation of passports from dismissed ministers and froze their bank accounts.
Reports from Guinean media revealed that the Russian embassy advised Russian nationals to be vigilant due to the potential for unrest in Conakry following Col Doumbouya’s decision.
In reaction, an official from the junta’s foreign ministry summoned Ambassador Popov to a meeting to address the matter. Mr Popov clarified that it was a misunderstanding, attributing it to a false translation published only in Russian for Russian citizens.
The junta accepted the apology, and Mr Popov asserted that the incident would not impact the relations between the two nations.
Guinea, like several other former French colonies in West Africa, has experienced coups in recent years. The juntas in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have turned towards Russia while displaying hostility towards France and the West African regional bloc, Ecowas.
Despite this trend, Col Doumbouya has aimed to maintain positive relations with all sides. He has committed to holding elections to reinstate democratic rule by the end of 2024.
The junta, however, imposed a ban on all demonstrations in 2022 and detained numerous opposition leaders and members of civil society groups.
Col Doumbouya came to power by overthrowing President Alpha Condé in September 2021, citing reasons such as rampant corruption, human rights violations, and economic mismanagement. President Condé, Guinea’s first democratically elected president, faced protests in 2019 when he changed the constitution to run for a third term after being re-elected in 2015.