This archive report was first published on 9 October 2021.
Guinea's military junta has appointed Mohamed Béavogui as the country's new Prime Minister, in a move aimed at steering the country back to civilian rule. The 68-year-old development and agricultural finance expert is expected to set up his government soon, and his appointment has been met with widespread endorsements from the political and civil society spectrum.
However, the daunting task ahead of Mr Beavogui is to meet the expectations of a people who feel they have been liberated from decades of tyranny. Opposition leader Thierno Yaya Diallo has expressed hope that the new government will alleviate the suffering of Guineans and ensure that the country's wealth benefits all citizens without bias.
Mr Beavogui's neutral outlook may also be a key factor in the junta's efforts to have sanctions imposed on it by regional leaders relaxed or lifted. The ECOWAS leaders had imposed targeted sanctions on members of the junta and their close relatives in September, but the military has been defiant, with junta leader Col Mamady Doumbouya refusing to release deposed former President Alpha Conde.
The continued detention of Mr Conde has become a major bone of contention between the junta and ECOWAS, with some critics arguing that releasing him could be detrimental to the peace of the country. Others believe that he should face justice for his human rights abuses, particularly in the past two years.
