On Tuesday, 16 April 2024, our project, "Projet d'Appui au Renforcement de la Démocratie en République de Guinée (PARD-Guinée)", funded by the EU, received an important visit from senior European Union officials from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the EU Delegation of Conakry.
Led by the European Union's Ambassador to Guinea, Jolita Pons, the delegation included Rita Laranjinha, Director General for Africa at the EEAS, and Hana Missaoui, in charge of relations with Guinea at the EEAS. Furthermore, Political Counsellor Romuald Picahrd, the Head of Cooperation Juan José Villa Chacon, and the Head of Governance Florina Costica, from the EU Delegation, participated in the meetings.
The visit, led by our project coordinator, Tommaso Caprioglio, served not only to show the results that PARD achieved until today but also to introduce the Brussels staff to the representatives of Guinean civil society within the Structured Dialogue Framework (CDS) set up by the European Union earlier last year. Their discussions focused mainly on the conduct and development of the current political transition and, more generally, on the national situation.
The civil society representatives thanked the European Union and the European Electoral Support Centre for their ongoing support of Guinean civil society. They then reviewed their activities on the ground as part of the PARD-Guinea project.
Secondly, senior EU officials discussed the conduct of the transition with the members of the National Transition Council (CNT) Caucus. The two subjects discussed were the transition and women's political participation. The Caucus did not fail to reassure the visitors that the transition authorities desire to provide Guinea with a Constitution that "resembles" and "unites" Guineans and are working to make this transition the "last" one.
