By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Guinea-Bissau’s President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, visited the Kremlin on Wednesday, where he held talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
This marks Moscow’s latest move to strengthen economic and security ties with African nations.
A prominent Russian metals tycoon, Oleg Deripaska, was present at the meeting between the two leaders, according to clips released by state TV.
Russian aluminium company Rusal has expressed interest in building a railway and port in Guinea-Bissau, as well as exploring for bauxite, according to reports from Russian and Portuguese news outlets quoting a Guinea-Bissau minister.
In recent years, Russia has built security ties with several African countries, deploying thousands of mercenaries to support military leaders and assist in countering insurgencies.
During Wednesday’s meeting, it was not independently verified whether such deals were on the agenda.
Guinea-Bissau, a former Portuguese colony, gained independence in 1974.
Embaló came to power in 2020, and his term expires this year amid a dispute with the opposition over the timing of the next election.
The opposition has vowed to bring the country to a standstill due to disagreements over when Embaló’s term officially ends.
The Guinea-Bissau leader has claimed there have been two attempts to overthrow him, the most recent in December 2023.
Following that incident, which involved gunfire and clashes in the capital, he dissolved the opposition-controlled parliament, accusing it of inaction.
