Guinea-Bissau
Co-operation relations between Portugal and Guinea-Bissau
General information
Official name: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Capital: Bissau
President: José Mário Vaz
Prime-Minister: Aristides Gomes
Independence Day: 10 September 1974
Regions: Bafatá, Biombo, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabú, Oio, Quinara, Setor autónomo de Bissau and Tombali.
Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, Balanta, Mandinga, Fula, Manjaca, Papel, Mancanha
Religion: Animism (55%), Islamic (40%), Catholic and others (5%).
Geography
Geographical Area: 36,125 Km2.
Climate: Tropical and humid with two seasons, the dry season (November to the middle of May) and the rainy season (middle of May until the end of October)
Demography
Population: 1.7 Million inhabitants (2012) (UN)
Average rate of population growth: 2.6% (2010) (UNDP)
Life expectancy: 48.6 (2010) (UNDP)
Literacy rate: 50.3% (2010) (GB Ministry of Education)
Human development index: 176th position (2012) (UNDP)
Economic data
Currency: Franco CFA (1€=665.957 CFA)
GNP per Capita: 134 USD (2006) (BP)
Inflation rate: 2.1% (2012) (BP)
Unemployment rate: n.a.
GNP Growth rate: 3,5% (2012) (BP)
Main exports: Cashew nuts, peanuts, fish, wood, tropical fruit (AICEP)
Exports - Portugal: (% do total): 2012 – 0.1% (BP)
Imports - Portugal: (% do total): 2012 - 25.1% (BP)
Direct Portuguese Investment: 0.1 (trade) (2009) (BP)
Main investors: n.a.
Other information
Portuguese Embassy in Bissau
Ambassador: Alves de Carvalho
Address:
Avenida da Cidade de Lisboa
Apartado 76
1021 Bissau
Tel.: +(00 245) 93206945
Attaché/Co-operation contact: António Nunes
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Embassy of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau in Lisbon
Ambassador: Hélder Vaz
Address:
Rua de Alcolena, n.º 17
1400-004 Lisboa
Tel.: 213 009 081
Current situation
General framework
The co-operation strategy between Portugal and Guinea-Bissau is part of the objectives of the strategic concept of Portuguese Co-operation 2014-2020 and the options outlined by the Guinean authorities, which are part of the Terra Ranka Strategic Operational Programme 2015-2020 guidelines and objectives.
Portugal has been the largest bilateral donor to Guinea Bissau. In the period from 2009-2014, the amount of Portugal-Guinea Bissau bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) was the following:
|
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
10 361 000 |
11 868 051 |
9 829 376 |
7 400 231 |
6 054 326 |
6 939 674 |
Source: Camões, I.P. (euros)
It should be noted that the decrease in aid in 2012 and 2013 stems from the fact that Portugal reduced its number of co-operative interventions due to the 12th of April 2012 coup which resulted in the suspension of institutional co-operation. However, Portugal remained on the ground with projects developed by NGDOs in direct support for people in priority sectors such as education, health and rural development.
Strategic Co-operation Programme Portugal Guinea-Bissau 2015-2020
On the 6th of July 2015, a Strategic Co-operation Programme was signed by Portugal and Guinea Bissau for 2015-2020 comprising two priority areas of intervention: Plan I - governance, rule of law and human rights and Plan II - human development and global public goods.
Strategic Co-operation Programme Portugal Guinea-Bissau 2015-2020
Strategic Co-operation Programme Portugal Guinea-Bissau 2015-2020 - Download
Action plan: November 2014 - June 2015 - Portuguese version
Co-operation i n Numbers
Official development assistance 2013 – 2017 - Guinea-Bissau
Portuguese ODA to Guinea Bissau has dropped slightly since between 2012 and 2013. In 2014, this trend was reversed and net ODA amounted to 8,41 M€, continuing to grow in 2015 to 12.49 M€ and stabilizing in 2016 (11,73 M€) and decreasing in 2017 (9,44 M€). On average, between 2013 and 2017 the country benefited from 9,62 M€.
Both in net and gross amounts, most of the assistance was attributed to the “Social Infrastructure & Services” sector group (education, health, population and reproductive health, water and sanitation, government and civil society, other social infrastructures and services) which received an average of 8,86 M€ over the last 5-year period, representing 90% of total aid to that country.
