The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister, António Costa, will meet in Guinea-Bissau this Thursday to represent the Portuguese state in celebration of the 50th anniversary of that country’s independence.
They arrived in Bissau on Wednesday evening about two hours apart, first Antonio Costa and then Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and attended an official dinner hosted by Guinean President Humaro Sissoko Embalo, where they exchanged brief greetings.
Guinea-Bissau’s independence celebrations coincide with a moment of political crisis in Portugal: the resignation of the prime minister and early legislative elections have been announced for March 10, but the government is still in full force.
Since Tuesday, Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho is also in the Guinean capital, who will also take part in a gala event dedicated to the fiftieth anniversary of the independence of Guinea-Bissau and the Day of the Armed Forces.
The ceremony, scheduled to begin at 10:15 a.m., will take place at Avenida Amilcar Cabral in Bissau and will include a message to the nation from the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Humaro Sissoko Embalo, a people’s parade and a military parade.
This will be followed by an official dinner on behalf of the President of Guinea-Bissau at the Presidential Palace at 13:30.
Guinea-Bissau was the first Portuguese colony in Africa to gain independence. Independence was declared unilaterally on September 24, 1973, after a decade of armed struggle.
The United Nations immediately recognized the independence of Guinea-Bissau, and Portugal only a year later, in September 1974, after April 25.
Upon arrival in Bissau on Wednesday, both the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic avoided talking about the political situation in Portugal.
When asked by reporters about the state of his relationship with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, António Costa simply replied that “it is always a pleasure to be with the President of the Republic” and noted that “above all it is important” to celebrate the 50th anniversary together. independence of Guinea-Bissau.
“It is a great joy for me to be here in Guinea-Bissau at this historical moment, and Portugal comes into force together with the Prime Minister and President of the Republic,” said the head of state upon arrival at the airport. , arguing that Portugal’s presence is “irreplaceable”.
Oumaro Sissoko Embalo, who has served as President of Guinea-Bissau since February 2020, made his first official visit to Portugal in October 2020 and returned in October this year for a state visit.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made an official visit to Guinea-Bissau in May 2021 at the invitation of Sissoko, 31 years after Mário Soares, who was the last Portuguese president to officially visit the country, in 1989.
Prime Minister António Costa visited Guinea-Bissau in March 2022, and in August this year he made a technical stop in Bissau and had a short meeting with Guinean Prime Minister Geraldo Martins on his way to the Community Summit. Portuguese Language (CPLP) in Sao Tome and Principe.
António Costa resigned on November 7 in connection with a judicial investigation into the installation of a data center in Sines, as well as lithium and hydrogen production facilities, prompting the State Ministry to launch an autonomous investigation in the Supreme Court in which those prosecuted are named.
The President of the Republic accepted the resignation of the Prime Minister and, after listening to the parties and the State Council, announced that he would dissolve parliament and call early legislative elections for March 10.
However, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa decided to postpone the formal process of dissolving the government, which is carried out by decree, in order to ensure the final approval of the state budget for 2023 and its entry into force. Only then will the executive power be limited to managerial actions.