Foreign relations of Guinea

The foreign relations of Guinea, including those with its West African neighbors, have improved steadily since 1985.^[1]

Diplomatic history

Guinea re-established relations with France and West Germany in 1975, and with neighboring Ivory Coast and Senegal in 1978. Guinea has been active in efforts toward regional integration and cooperation, especially regarding the Organisation of African Unity and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Guinea has participated in both diplomatic and military efforts to resolve conflicts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau, and contributed contingents of troops to peacekeeping operations in all three countries as part of ECOMOG, the Military Observer Group of ECOWAS.^[2] Guinea has offered asylum to over 700,000 Liberian, Sierra Leonean, and Bissau-Guinean refugees since 1990, despite the economic and environmental costs involved.

Guinea is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the United States military (as covered under Article 98).^[3]

2009 ambassador recall

On 5 May 2009, President Moussa Dadis Camara, who seized power in a bloodless coup which followed the 22 December 2008 death of President Lansana Conté, announced the recall of 30 of Guinea's ambassadors to other countries.^[4] The order was made by a presidential decree on state television and was the first major diplomatic move made by the new leader.^[4]

The decision affected ambassadors to the United States, South Korea, the People's Republic of China, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Egypt, South Africa, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Cuba, Switzerland, Serbia, Malaysia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Senegal, Nigeria, Libya, Ghana, Algeria, Morocco, Gabon, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, comprising almost all of Guinea's foreign embassies.^[4]^[5]^[6] The Guinean representatives to the European Union, the United Nations and the African Union were also affected.^[4]^[5]

No reason was stated for the recall.^[5] The Tocqueville Connection states: "Most of the ambassadors were appointed by former prime minister Lansana Kouyaté, in office from February 2007 until May 2008,"^[5] raising the possibility that the recall was an attempt on the part of Camara to distance himself from the previous government.

In late March 2009, the Guinean ambassador to Serbia faced expulsion for personal involvement in cigarette smuggling (1,000 packs of cigarettes were found in his BMW) but avoided arrest due to diplomatic immunity (although he was declared as persona non grata).^[7]

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Armenia	1992	Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1992.
Azerbaijan	11 March 1992^[8]	The Republic of Guinea was one of the first states to recognize the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan on January 9, 1992.^[8] The Republic of Guinea was also the first African state to establish diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan, creating bilateral diplomatic ties on March 11, 1992.^[8]
Canada	March 1962	Canada is accredited to Guinea from its embassy in Dakar, Senegal.^[9] Guinea has an embassy in Ottawa.^[10]
China	14 October 1959	See China–Guinea relations The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Guinea established diplomatic relations on October 14, 1959.^[11]
France	1958	France has an embassy in Conakry.^[12] Guinea has an embassy in Paris.^[13]
Guyana	8 June 1970	Both countries established diplomatic relations on June 8, 1970.^[14]
Israel	2016	See Guinea–Israel relations Diplomatic relations between Guinea and Israel were discontinued in 1967. They resumed in June 2016.^[15]
Mexico	25 January 1962	Guinea is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Havana, Cuba.^[16] Mexico is accredited to Guinea from its embassy in Abuja, Nigeria.^[17]
South Korea	28 August 2006	Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Guinea were established on 28 August 2006. The number of South Koreans living in Guinea in 2011 was 70.^[18]
Spain		See Guinea–Spain relations
Turkey	1960^[19]	Guinea has an embassy in Ankara.^[20] Turkey has an embassy in Conakry.^[20] Trade volume between the two countries was 136.7 million USD in 2019.^[20] There are direct flights from Istanbul to Conakry since January 30, 2017.^[20]
United States		See Guinea – United States relations Guinea became the first French African colony to gain independence, on 2 October 1958, at the cost of the immediate cessation of all French assistance. After a temporary suspension due to nationwide political unrest in early 2007, the Peace Corps program in Guinea resumed operations at the end of July. Prior to the suspension, Peace Corps had more than 100 volunteers throughout the country, and the program is gradually increasing its numbers again. Volunteers work in four project areas: secondary education, environment/agro-forestry, public health and HIV/AIDS prevention, and small enterprise development. Guinea has also had a strong Crisis Corps program through the last few years. Guinea has an embassy in Washington, D.C.^[21] United States has an embassy in Conakry.^[22]