Page 7 - HOH

A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 5 december 2023

Guinea-Bissau’s president issues a decree dissolving the

opposition-controlled parliament

By Chinedu Asadu and Guinea-Bissau’s semi-pres-
Sambu Asana idential system limits the
Associated Press president’s powers by al-
BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau (AP) lowing the majority party in
— Guinea-Bissau President the parliament to appoint
Umaro Sissoco Embalo is- the Cabinet. As a result, the
sued a decree Monday dis- National Guard — which is
solving the nation’s opposi- under the Ministry of Interior
tion-controlled parliament, — is largely controlled by
less than six months after it the opposition-dominated
was reconstituted following parliament, while the Presi-
a similar move by the presi- dential Palace Battalion is
dent in 2022. loyal to Embalo.
Embalo cited last week's Embalo, a former army
shootout between troops general, was declared the
loyal to him and forces winner of a December 2019
controlled by the parlia- runoff presidential election,
ment, which he described which his opponent con-
as a failed coup. tested. Tensions have re-
“The date for holding the mained between him and
next legislative elections will the coalition of opposition
be set in due time in accor- groups that won the major-
dance with the provisions ity in Guinea-Bissau’s parlia-
of … the Constitution,” the Guinea Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo speaks at the Peace Forum on Nov. 11, 2022 in ment in June when the par-
decree stated. “This Presi- Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool, File) liament was reconstituted.
dential Decree comes into Last week's shooting inci-
force immediately.” cratic achievements are re- the latter. or a constitutional coup dent lasted from Thursday
On Monday night, Embalo spected and maintained." The leadership of the par- d’état,” Domingos Simões night until Friday morning
deployed soldiers at the The new executive order liament rejected the presi- Pereira, president of the and happened while the
headquarters of the state referred to the “serious- dent's decree Monday, parliament, told reporters. president was attending
television and radio as ness” of last week's shoot- noting that the constitution It is the second time in less the U.N. climate summit in
he sought to change the out in the capital, Bissau, states that parliament can- than two years that Emba- Dubai, United Arab Emir-
heads of the broadcast between members of the not be dissolved in the first lo has dissolved the parlia- ates. Upon his return, he
stations said to be loyal to Presidential Palace Battal- 12 months after an elec- ment. Three months after dismissed Victor Tchongo,
the parliament. “Everything ion and the National Guard tion. surviving a coup attempt in the head of the National
is going well in Bissau,” the as the former tried to rear- “If this situation happens, February 2022, the Guinea Guard and said Tchongo
nation's leader said as he rest two ministers under regardless of the mecha- Bissau leader did the same hadn't acted alone when
attempted to allay fears of investigation for alleged nism used, we are in the thing, citing “unresolvable he asked members of
yet another political crisis corruption who had been presence of a subversion differences” with the legis- the guard to release the
in the capital city. “Demo- released from custody by of the democratic order lature. officials.q

Niger’s junta revokes key security

agreements with EU and turns to Russia

for defense partnership

jor security partner in the security sector, effectively cooperation between the
Sahel, the vast region south revoking its approval for the two countries in the field of
of the Sahara Desert that missions. The developments defense,” Niger’s defense
Islamic extremist groups are the latest in growing ministry said in a statement.
have turned into the global political tensions between Most of Niger’s foreign eco-
terror hot spot. Niger and the EU since nomic and security allies
In a memo, Niger’s foreign the July coup. In a rare have sanctioned the coun-
affairs ministry said the gov- visit on Sunday, a Russian try, including France, which
Nigeriens, some holding Russian flags, participate in a march ernment has decided to delegation led by Russia’s had 1,500 troops operating
called by supporters of coup leader Gen. Abdourahmane "withdraw the privileges Deputy Minister of Defense in Niger. All of them have
Tchiani in Niamey, Niger, on July 30, 2023. and immunities granted” Lounous-Bek Evkourov met been asked to leave.
(AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File) under the EU Military Part- with Niger’s junta leader, Analysts say that although
By Chinedu Asadu rica’s Sahel region as the nership Mission in Niger that Gen. Abdourahmane Tchi- regional and international
Associated Press country's army leaders and was launched in February ani, and Minister of State sanctions to force the junta
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Ni- a senior Russian defense of- and consequently “has no for National Defense Sali- to reverse its coup have
ger’s junta on Monday ficial discussed military co- legal obligation” related to fou Mody. The two sides squeezed the country, they
scrapped two key military operation. Before the coup that partnership. held more meetings on have also emboldened
agreements that the West that deposed the country's It also dismissed the EU Civil- Monday to discuss military the military government as
African nation signed with president, Mohamed Ba- ian Capacity-Building Mis- and defense issues. “At it consolidates its hold on
the European Union to help zoum, Niger had been the sion established in 2012 to the center of the discus- power and seeks new part-
fight the violence in Af- West and Europe’s last ma- strengthen Niger’s internal sions is the strengthening of nerships. q