Guinea’s coup leader sworn in as president

Colonel Mamady Doumbouya was sworn in as interim president of Guinea after leading a coup that resulted in the overthrow of Alpha Condé.

The former French legionnaire, 41, becomes the second youngest leader in Africa, after Malian Assimi Goïta, 38, who also organized a military takeover.

Colonel Doumbouya is barred from running in future elections as part of civilian regime recovery plans announced this week.

The September 5 coup was widely condemned.

Both ECOWAS and the African Union have suspended Guinea.

ECOWAS also imposed sanctions against the coup plotters and demanded a return to constitutional order within six months.

Speaking at the Mohammed V Palace in Conakry, the new president said his mission was to “rebuild the state” by drafting a new constitution, tackling corruption, changing the electoral system and putting in place “free, credible and transparent” elections, according to the AFP news agency.

He also promised to “respect all the national and international commitments to which the country has subscribed”.

The Guinean military junta did not specify how long it would take to hold elections.

But he says that anyone taking part in the interim government, which will have a civilian prime minister, will not be able to run.

The military leaders of the coup d’état arrested Mr. Condé, 83 years old, after taking power, Colonel Doumbouya assuring the French media that he was with them in a “safe place”.

Its exact whereabouts remain unclear.

Before coming to power, the colonel kept a low profile, but what sets him apart is his international military experience, according to Paul Melly, political analyst for West Africa.

The colonel trained in France and served in the French army.

During his 15-year military career, Col Doumbouya served in missions in Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Central African Republic and in close protection in Israel, Cyprus, United Kingdom and Guinea. .

The new Guinean leader is friends with his colleague who instigated the coup in Mali, President Goïta, according to the Africa Guinea news site.

The same site reports that in 2018, the two soldiers met in Burkina Faso during a training organized by the American army, reserved for commanders of special forces in the region.