Back in Conakry since Sunday 21 August 2022, the meeting between Thomas Boni Yayi, ECOWAS mediator and the Guinean political class finally took place on Friday 26 August. This comes after several unsuccessful attempts to meet with the junta, the political class and Guinean civil society. Boni Yayi therefore met a dozen political actors in order to facilitate the return of civilians to power as quickly as possible. But the latter have expressed enough reservations on the issue.
The ECOWAS mediator arrived in Conakry on Sunday 21 August 2022 and met with the new Prime Minister of Guinea and two other government ministers. According to his agenda, Boni Yayi was to meet the junta, the political class and civil society in order to find a precise program to facilitate the return of civilians to power as soon as possible. The meeting between the ECOWAS mediator and the Guinean political class finally took place on Friday 26 August with many reservations from the political actors The discussions lasted about three hours.
Represented at this meeting with the ECOWAS mediator are the political parties the National Alliance for Democratic Change (ANAD), supporters of Cellou Dalein Diallo, the RPG and allies of former president Alpha Condé, the political branch of the FNDC, which is close to Sidya Touré, as well as the CORED of businessman Mamadou Sylla.
Mediator Boni Yayi receives the grievances of political parties and takes note.
During the meeting, the ECOWAS mediator in Guinea received the grievances of the political parties without revealing their content. But he reassures that the transitional government will be given the necessary time to take the necessary steps for the return to civilian rule.
“President Boni Yayi has given us enough time to discuss with us the building blocks that can allow Guinea, finally, to begin the implementation of a peaceful and inclusive transition,” said Kiridi Bangoura, the spokesman for the various coalitions.
A dialogue held, despite its failure since Tuesday 23 August.
With great difficulty, the dialogue between the ECOWAS mediator and the Guinean political actors was concluded. Meanwhile, he had planned to meet with the former ruling party, Alpha Conde’s RPG, and its allies on Tuesday 23 August but the meeting was cancelled at the last minute.
“The political parties have not been able to meet with the mediator for the moment; we had been invited to a meeting with the mediator this Tuesday afternoon. Finally, they called us to cancel the meeting. We are being asked to remain on standby. According to indiscretions, the Guinean authorities do not want the mediator to meet with all the discordant voices or the opposition to the CNRD,” explained Rafiou Sow, President of the Party of Renewal and Progress. There is therefore an impression that the political actors are being sidelined.
Charbel Ahouandjinou (stag).
Published on Afro impact