The day after the official UN visit to Guinea, Mamady Doumbouya is launching this Tuesday four days of national consultations between the CNRD and the political and social actors of the country.
The program is loaded. From 10 a.m., this Tuesday, September 14, in Guinea, the national consultations organized by the National Committee for Rally and Development (CNRD) begin following the coup d'état on Sunday, September 5. At the presidential palace in Conakry, the leader of the putschists, Mamady Doumbouya, will welcome representatives of political parties by open invitation. In the evening, it will be the turn of regional governors and religious leaders to discuss the future of Guinea. Then, on Wednesday, the CNRD will meet with diplomats and delegates from the Guinean diaspora. Finally, on Thursday, the representatives of mining companies and employers' organizations will meet in Kaloum, before banking institutions and unions do the same next Friday.
UN provides measured support
An intense program, therefore, for these national consultations, which intervene the day after the visit of the United Nations mediator Mohamed Saleh Annadif. The latter called for a return of civilians to power within a "reasonable" time. The former head of MINUSMA and MINUSCA had a rather complacent speech. "We are in consultation with ECOWAS and, until then, we have said that we wanted a reasonable duration, but the reasonable duration depends on the Guineans themselves", declared on Monday the UN envoy to Guinea. Before continuing: “We gave them a simple message, just to say that we want to listen to them. What do they think of the future of their country? What transition do they want for their country? "
We are therefore far from the usual threats and condemnations from the UN, as in Chad, Mali or Libya. The United Nations wants to "accompany" the CNRD and the Guineans "so that Guinea can get out of this situation". And although the UN representative visited ousted President Alpha Condé, he did not call for his release again. The UN is therefore, for once, showing flexibility and seems to support, more than ECOWAS or the African Union, the Guinean putsch.
Condé's RPG agrees
Regarding this first day of talks, it is the guest list that will be scrutinized. Because the opposition is now looking for a providential man. Among those present, we will find the party of ousted President Alpha Condé, the Rally of the People of Guinea (RPG), which decided to respond to Doumbouya's invitation. “After consultation with all the structures based inside the country up to Conakry, all the structures agree that the party is represented at this consultation. The meeting was held and we therefore validated the base decision, ”announced the administrative secretary of the RPG, Lansana Komara.
The party official also spoke about the fate of Alpha Condé. According to Komara, the ECOWAS proposal to remove the former president of Guinea "will depend on the 'professor' himself". The RPG seeks, above all, the "liberation and respect for the physical integrity" of its leader. But the party seems today to have mourned Alpha Condé.
As for the opposition parties, all should participate in the meeting on Tuesday, from the UFR of Sidya Touré to the UFDG of Cellou Dalein Diallo. Former Prime Minister Kabiné Komara is also expected. Does the former Prime Minister of the transition have the stature to resume service? In any case, he embarked on a series of very diplomatic trips, going to visit Pope Francis, then the leaders of Afreximbank. Kabiné Komara could be the man for the job and be the ideal interlocutor for financial institutions. Because the transition promises to be costly for Guinea.
It will be difficult, however, to settle the fate of the country in just half a day. But the meeting between Doumbouya and the political actors looks like making contacts, as much as a charity operation. However, the inclusion of the RPG in the discussions shows that the Guinean junta is aware of the difficulty of governing the country with 500 soldiers. If he wants the transition to take place under good conditions, Doumbouya will have to rely on political actors.