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Sub Saharan Africa

Guinea-Bissau

 Flag of Guinea-Bissau

Last reviewed: 04 June 2009

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HISTORY

Guinea-Bissau was a Portuguese colony. The African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), fought a protracted guerrilla war for the independence of both colonies. It was led by the famous revolutionary leader Amilcar Cabral. He was assassinated by dissidents in his own movement in January 1973. However, Guinea-Bissau unilaterally declared its independence under the leadership of his brother Luis Cabral in September of the same year. Following the carnation revolution in Lisbon in April 1974, Portugal withdrew its troops and recognised the independence of Guinea Bissau.

Luis Cabral governed Guinea-Bissau as a one-party state, with socialist policies but a non-aligned foreign policy. He was overthrown by a coup led by Joao Bernardo ‘Nino’ Vieira, a native of Guinea-Bissau, in 1980. This coup ended aspirations for an eventual political union with Cape Verde. Many of those of Cape Verdean descent in the leadership were purged from its ranks. The coup was the beginning of a pattern in Guinea-Bissau of military coups and instability, which has persisted until quite recently.

Following the March 2009 assassination of President Viera, the interim Head of State is the parliamentary speaker Raimundo PEREIRA. Elections are due to occur in June 2009.

BBC News Country Timeline: Guinea-Bissau

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