Latest news with #Bissau-Guinean
The Star
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Guinea-Bissau's president inaugurates China-funded highway
BISSAU, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Bissau-Guinean President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on Monday presided over the inauguration ceremony of a highway linking the capital Bissau to its suburb of Safim, covering a distance of 8.2 kilometers. The highway was constructed by Chinese company Longjian Road & Bridge Co., Ltd. and fully financed by the Chinese government at a cost of 30 million U.S. dollars. "This is a symbol of strong friendship, solidarity, and ongoing cooperation between Guinea-Bissau and China," Embalo said during the inauguration of the infrastructure. Chinese Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau Yang Renhuo reaffirmed China's commitment to continue supporting Guinea-Bissau in its development projects.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Four convicted in Guinea-Bissau cocaine bust transferred to US
BISSAU (Reuters) - Four foreign nationals convicted of trafficking 2.63 metric tons of cocaine in Guinea-Bissau last September have been transferred to the United States to face another trial there, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday. Ramon Manriquez Castillo, a dual U.S. and Mexican citizen; Mexican citizen Edgar Rodriguez Ruano; Fernando Javier Escobar Tito from Ecuador and Anderson Jair Gamboa Nieto from Colombia were charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine through Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, the Bahamas and Guinea-Bissau between November 2023 and September 2024, the statement said. The four men were each sentenced in January in Guinea-Bissau to 17 years in prison following a record bust known as "Operation Landing". They were convicted alongside Brazilian Marlos Balcacar, who died at Simao Mendes Hospital in the capital Bissau on March 3, according to authorities in the West African country. They appeared in court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Thursday, charged with distributing large quantities of cocaine while using a U.S. registered airplane with an American citizen on board, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida said. If convicted in the U.S., they could face from 10 years to life in federal prison, the statement said. They were transferred on Wednesday to a U.S. prison under a mutual agreement with the U.S., Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Cissoko Embalo told reporters on Thursday. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), which has met with Bissau-Guinean authorities several times since January, requested the transfer of the detainees for security reasons, a source in the Guinea-Bissau government told Reuters. "The reason for the transfer of the traffickers is that Guinea-Bissau does not have high-security prisons," Embalo said. "Moreover, this transfer is proof that Guinea-Bissau is no longer a narco state." Guinea-Bissau does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S., but Embalo said that even Bissau-Guinean nationals subject to international arrest warrants would be handed over to the U.S. if requested. In one of the country's largest drugs busts, Bissau-Guinean police in September seized 2.63 metric tons of cocaine on a Gulfstream IV aircraft that arrived from Venezuela at Bissau's main airport. Agents confiscated 78 bales of drugs, the police said in a statement at the time. Drug smugglers often use West African countries as a transit point to ship cocaine from South America to Europe.
Reuters
18-04-2025
- Reuters
Four convicted in Guinea-Bissau cocaine bust transferred to US
BISSAU, April 18 (Reuters) - Four foreign nationals convicted of trafficking 2.63 metric tons of cocaine in Guinea-Bissau last September have been transferred to the United States to face another trial there, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday. Ramon Manriquez Castillo, a dual U.S. and Mexican citizen; Mexican citizen Edgar Rodriguez Ruano; Fernando Javier Escobar Tito from Ecuador and Anderson Jair Gamboa Nieto from Colombia were charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine through Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, the Bahamas and Guinea-Bissau between November 2023 and September 2024, the statement said. here. The four men were each sentenced in January in Guinea-Bissau to 17 years in prison following a record bust known as "Operation Landing". They were convicted alongside Brazilian Marlos Balcacar, who died at Simao Mendes Hospital in the capital Bissau on March 3, according to authorities in the West African country. They appeared in court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Thursday, charged with distributing large quantities of cocaine while using a U.S. registered airplane with an American citizen on board, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida said. If convicted in the U.S., they could face from 10 years to life in federal prison, the statement said. They were transferred on Wednesday to a U.S. prison under a mutual agreement with the U.S., Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Cissoko Embalo told reporters on Thursday. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), which has met with Bissau-Guinean authorities several times since January, requested the transfer of the detainees for security reasons, a source in the Guinea-Bissau government told Reuters. "The reason for the transfer of the traffickers is that Guinea-Bissau does not have high-security prisons," Embalo said. "Moreover, this transfer is proof that Guinea-Bissau is no longer a narco state." Guinea-Bissau does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S., but Embalo said that even Bissau-Guinean nationals subject to international arrest warrants would be handed over to the U.S. if requested. In one of the country's largest drugs busts, Bissau-Guinean police in September seized 2.63 metric tons of cocaine on a Gulfstream IV aircraft that arrived from Venezuela at Bissau's main airport. Agents confiscated 78 bales of drugs, the police said in a statement at the time. Drug smugglers often use West African countries as a transit point to ship cocaine from South America to Europe.
Russia Today
28-02-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Russia and Guinea-Bissau cooperating in education
Russia and Guinea-Bissau have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in the fields of general education, science, and innovation, as well as vocational training, Moscow announced on Wednesday. The signing was done by Russia's deputy education minister, Andrey Korneev, and Bissau-Guinean Foreign Affairs Minister Carlos Henrique De Jesus Pinto Pereira, the Russian Ministry of Education said in a press release. Under the agreement, Moscow and Bissau will 'maintain direct contacts between schools, institutions of secondary vocational education, and universities of the two countries,' according to the ministry. It also includes provisions for Guinea-Bissau to teach the Russian language to its residents. The event, part of the visit this week by the West African state's president, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, to Moscow, comes at a time when the Russian agency for international cooperation, Rossotrudnichestvo, said students from Africa are showing increasing interest in studying in Russia. In December, State Duma Deputy Speaker Aleksandr Babakov reported that Russian lawmakers had submitted funding proposals to the government to support international students from the continent. During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, Embalo hailed Russia as 'a reliable partner' and thanked the Kremlin for increasing the quota for his country's military personnel, police officers, and students. Putin also emphasized the need for stronger economic ties between Moscow and Africa, noting that trade between Russia and countries on the continent grew by 10% in 2024. Last month, Putin and Embalo held a phone conversation to discuss trade, investment, and humanitarian cooperation. Prior to the talks between the two leaders, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development announced on Wednesday that officials of the two countries had reached an initial deal on trade and investment cooperation. Commenting on the growing ties between the two countries, Andrey Maslov, head of the Center for African Studies at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, told RT that Guinea-Bissau and Russia are longstanding partners. 'Guinea-Bissau is a traditional partner for Russia and the Soviet Union, which played an important role in supporting the liberation struggle of the Guinean people against the Salazar regime and the Portuguese colonizers.'
Russia Today
26-02-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Russia is ‘reliable partner' – Guinea-Bissau leader
Bissau-Guinean President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has called Russia 'a reliable partner' during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday. 'We thank you for increasing the quota for our military personnel, police officers, and students. Some [Russian] companies are also interested in developing relations with Guinea-Bissau. We [Russia and Guinea-Bissau] are reliable partners,' Embalo said. Trade between Russia and African countries grew by 10% in 2024, Putin announced during the meeting. He emphasized the need for stronger economic ties between Russia and Africa and expressed hope for accelerating growth, citing solid foundations and promising opportunities. The Russian president noted increasing interest from Russian companies in African markets. Speaking to RT, Andrey Maslov, head of the Center for African Studies at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, stated that Guinea-Bissau, a fast-growing West African economy with 5-6% annual GDP growth, seeks investment and infrastructure development. The country exports cashew nuts, seafood, timber, and high-quality hibiscus, though these industries remain in early commercialization stages. According to Maslov, Bissau's regional ties are also significant. 'Its neighbors – Guinea and Senegal – are among Africa's fastest-growing economies and are priority partners for developing trade and economic ties,' he said. The meeting follows the signing of a memorandum on economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two nations. The Russian Ministry of Economic Development announced on Wednesday that the agreement had been signed by Russian Minister of Economy Maxim Reshetnikov and Guinea-Bissau's minister of economy, planning, and regional integration, Soares Sambu. 'The memorandum will allow Russia and our colleagues from Guinea-Bissau to maintain a regular and constructive dialogue between the business communities of our countries on issues of trade development, elimination of obstacles to the free movement of goods and services, as well as modernization of the regulatory framework in the economic sphere,' Reshetnikov stated. In late January, Putin and Embalo held a phone conversation to discuss trade, investment, and humanitarian cooperation. This followed the Bissau-Guinean leader's visit to Moscow on May 9 last year, which was the third time he came to Russia.
