France and Guinea-Bissau

Political relations

Ms Maria Adiatu Djaló Nandingna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and the Diaspora, visited France in May 2009 and met with the Minister of State for Cooperation and Francophonie, Mr Alain Joyandet.

In liaison with the African Union, France invited the Foreign Minister of Guinea-Bissau, Mr Fernando Delfim da Silva, to the Élysée Summit for Peace and Security in Africa, held in Paris on 6 and 7 December 2013.

Since September 2015, the French Embassy has been a very lightweight diplomatic presence post.

Economic relations

The volume of trade is very low. In 2018, French exports to Guinea-Bissau represented €3.3 million (down 2.94 % year-on-year) and essentially concerned mechanical, electronic and computer equipment (58%), agrifood products (18%) and metallurgical and metal products (9%). French imports from Guinea-Bissau contracted in 2018, representing only €0.1 million (down 96.15% year-on-year), made up essentially of tree and bush fruits and nuts (91%).

France has a limited economic presence in Guinea-Bissau, represented by Orange, a few small-scale subsidiaries of AGS, CFAO and Delmas, and Vinci and Eiffage for contracts with the Gambia River Basin Development Organization (OMVG), as well as hospitality businesses in the Bissagos Islands.

Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation

France’s action focuses on two areas: teaching of French and health.

The France-Guinea-Bissau Cultural Centre opened in March 2004 and is today a renowned cultural venue in Bissau, catering for the demand for French teaching to foster the Guinea-Bissau’s regional integration. French teaching is provided for several hundred people in strategic sectors (Prime Minister’s Office, Foreign, Justice and Finance Ministries, National School of Public Administration, etc.). Teaching for the general public is seeing promising growth.

France is the second-largest contributor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (about 12.5% of total contributions) and the leading contributor to its activities in Guinea-Bissau.

^{Updated: November 2019}