Governance

Despite its vast natural and mineral resources, Guinea remains one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2010 Professor Alpha Condé, a lifelong democratic activist, was elected President. This first step towards democracy was hailed by the Guinean people as an opportunity for the country to reverse its fortunes. But as President Condé put it himself “I inherited a country, but I did not inherit a state”.

We are supporting the government of Guinea through this period of vital transition by working shoulder to shoulder with Guinean public servants, providing support which aims to reduce poverty and improve lives, because effective government will be a key factor in determining the country’s future.

Our team is supporting the most important power generation project ever undertaken in Guinea. Once operational, the Souapiti hydroelectric dam will have a total installed capacity of 450MW. This will not only meet power demands in Guinea, but may also supply additional power to neighbouring countries such as Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Liberia. We are also working with the office of the Prime Minister to implement state reforms and improvements to economic and financial governance and the business environment.

We have also supported several successful projects in Guinea including: the completion of Kaleta dam, which doubled the energy capacity in Guinea; the set-up of a youth centre in Conakry; reforms to Guinea’s public procurement code; and the creation of a Public-Private Partnership unit within the Ministry of Energy to simplify the relationship between the government and private investors. We also made an important contribution to supporting coordination during the Ebola response and helping to foster cross-border surveillance.