The President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoko Embalo, will pay a state visit to Portugal on October 23-25, the head of state announced on Tuesday.
The program is still preliminary, but the Guinean head of state told Lusa that he was traveling at the invitation of Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, with whom he would meet, and was also going “to the Assembly (of the Republic).” and will have contacts with the Portuguese government.
For Sissoko Embalo, his state visit to Lisbon “is a good sign” as it “actually demonstrates the rapprochement between Portugal and Guinea-Bissau.”
“Since I have been president, our relations with Portugal have never deteriorated,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting with military leaders at the Presidential Palace in Bissau.
Sissoko Embalo recalled that next month, the President and Prime Minister of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and António Costa, respectively, will arrive in the capital of Guinea-Bissau as guests for the official celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Guinea-Bissau. Bissau’s independence is scheduled for November 16.