Guinea's Mamadi Doumbouya, who rose to power in a military coup just two years ago, has been sworn in as the country's civilian president. The 41-year-old colonel, who took power in September 2021 after ousting President Alpha Condé, won 87% of the vote in December's election against a severely depleted field.
As interim president since his takeover, Doumbouya had promised to restore stability and democracy to Guinea. In an effort to distance himself from his military past, he has ditched camouflage for tracksuits and baseball caps. However, some analysts argue that his efforts may be less than sincere.
Doumbouya's presidency comes at a time of great uncertainty in Guinea, where the economy is heavily dependent on iron ore exports. The Simandou project, one of the largest mining projects in Africa, has sparked hopes for economic growth and development.
The new president appears determined to keep some of the processing and added-value parts of the industry in Guinea, which could lead to greater benefits for citizens. His emphasis on sovereignty has made him a popular figure among many Guineans, who are eager to see their country take control of its own destiny.
However, concerns remain about Doumbouya's democratic credentials. Critics have questioned his commitment to democracy and human rights, citing the ban on political demonstrations, exclusion of opposition candidates from the election, and suspension of key opposition parties.
The situation in Guinea remains closely watched by international observers, who are waiting to see whether Doumbouya will be able to translate his popularity into meaningful reforms.
As interim president since his takeover, Doumbouya had promised to restore stability and democracy to Guinea. In an effort to distance himself from his military past, he has ditched camouflage for tracksuits and baseball caps. However, some analysts argue that his efforts may be less than sincere.
Doumbouya's presidency comes at a time of great uncertainty in Guinea, where the economy is heavily dependent on iron ore exports. The Simandou project, one of the largest mining projects in Africa, has sparked hopes for economic growth and development.
The new president appears determined to keep some of the processing and added-value parts of the industry in Guinea, which could lead to greater benefits for citizens. His emphasis on sovereignty has made him a popular figure among many Guineans, who are eager to see their country take control of its own destiny.
However, concerns remain about Doumbouya's democratic credentials. Critics have questioned his commitment to democracy and human rights, citing the ban on political demonstrations, exclusion of opposition candidates from the election, and suspension of key opposition parties.
The situation in Guinea remains closely watched by international observers, who are waiting to see whether Doumbouya will be able to translate his popularity into meaningful reforms.
... on one hand he's making some pretty decent moves for guinea's economy and citizens, but on the other hand his military background still looms over everything. like, can't we just have a smooth transition into civilian rule without all the skeletons in the closet being dragged back out? 
also, 87% of the vote is kinda suspicious - what did he actually promise to the people that they were so eager to support him? 
i mean sure some ppl r saying he's not 100% committed to democracy but like who cares? he's gettin that simandou project all 2 himself n it'll b a game changer 4 his country 
& let's be real, the fact that he ditched camouflage 4 tracksuits n baseball caps is literally the coolest thing eva 
I'm not sure about this new president, Mamadi Doumbouya 
The fact that he won 87% of the vote in one election makes me skeptical. Can't we expect more from our leaders than to sweep aside the opposition like that? 
At least he's trying to prioritize sovereignty and control of the Simandou project for Guinea's benefit. That's something we should be rooting for! 
Not exactly what I'd call democratic practices... We need to keep an eye on this one 
. Can he actually make good on his promises or is it just a PR stunt? 
Mamadi Doumbouya just got sworn in as president of Guinea after winning 87% of the vote lol that's like a landslide 
so fingers crossed that he can actually deliver on his promises 
like how he suspended opposition parties and had strict rules around demonstrations 
here's a chart of guinea's election results btw 
[insert chart of electoral map]
. anyway, i'm curious to see how he'll balance his promises with his actual actions. the fact that he wants to keep more processing parts of the Simandou project in Guinea is a good sign, imo 
. we'll have to wait and see if he's serious about democratization and human rights 
.
also, what's up with the international community being so chill about this whole thing? didn't they learn anything from Libya or Sudan? 
. But seriously, can we talk about how hard it is to have a successful transition from military to civilian leader? It's like trying to change your socks mid-sentence – not easy! On a more serious note, I hope Doumbouya can really make progress on some of the issues facing Guinea, especially with that Simandou project. Maybe he can "dig" himself into some real change 
. On one hand, he's got the whole "taking control of your own destiny" vibe going on, which is super inspiring. But on the other hand, he still has to prove himself as a legitimate leader, especially with all these questions about his commitment to democracy and human rights 
Chaos would ensue!