France Diplomatie
Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, is visiting Guinea, Senegal and Mauritania from June 14 to 16.
Guinea
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France and Guinea
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Political relations
France and Guinea have strong bilateral relations, with many high-level meetings. Relations have intensified since Alpha Condé came to power.
Visits
- Visit to Conakry by Jean-Marc Ayrault, French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, on 11-12 November 2016;
- Visit to Conakry by Ségolène Royal, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Marine Affairs, on 5 March 2017 for the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative.
- State visit to Paris by President Condé on 10-12 April 2017;
- Visit to Conakry by Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, on 14-15 June 2017.
- Meeting of the President of the French Republic with Alpha Condé at the Élysée Palace on 22 November 2017.
- Visit to Conakry by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs (2 October 2018).
Economic relations
French exports to Guinea continued to grow in 2017 (€171 million, +19%), driven by sales of medicines (€42.8 million, +5.6%), machines for extraction or construction (€10 million, +52.7%), automobiles (€6.4 million, +140%), and distribution equipment and electrical controls (€5.6 million, +157%). France’s imports dropped sharply in 2017 (€89.6 million, -32%), largely due to a fall in gold purchases (€44 million, -51%). These simultaneous developments led to a consolidation of France’s bilateral trade surplus which reached €81.7 million, as against €12 million in 2016.
There are good prospects for French companies (more than 80 of which have set up in Guinea) due to a more favourable climate (end of the Ebola epidemic, return to growth, calmer political situation, etc.).
Bolloré, Air France, Orange, Société Générale, BNP Paribas, Total, Bureau Veritas and Castel are strengthening their positions as leaders in their respective sectors. Veolia is growing stronger and could focus on future markets in the areas of sanitation, water and waste management. The recently-formed company AMR (Alliance minière responsable), which holds a bauxite mining licence in the Boké region, saw the return of French investment to the mining sector.
Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation
Guinea is on our list of priority countries for our development assistance. Most financing comes from a debt relief and development contract (C2D, debt conversion) of €171 million, which primarily focuses on the sectors of agriculture and rural development, technical education and vocational training, pre-university education and local development.
France has been one of the main players in the fight against the Ebola epidemic in Guinea. In the emergency phase, it contributed €158 million between 2014 and 2015. Over €150 million has been allocated to the recovery phase.
Governance, promoting the French language and culture, and support for higher education and scientific research are other priorities.
Other cooperation
Security and defence cooperation has mobilized 12 personnel members. France has been supporting the restructuring of Guinea’s security and defence institutions for the past five years. These efforts have yielded significant and clearly visible results, such as Guinea’s involvement in MINUSMA.
Our legal cooperation, which mainly focuses on implementing justice sector reform, is based on France providing a technical expert to the Guinean Justice Ministry.
Updated: 16.05.19