By Ajong Mbapndah L
For Guinea, a generational shift beckons says Siaka Barry, leader of the Movement For Popular Democracy in Guinea- MPDG. Hopeful that the current military junta honor key engagements to restore power to civilian rule, Siaka Barry says it was time for Guineans to go in for the kind of fresh, young, and dynamic leadership that incarnates 21st century aspirations.
“Our population is very young, almost 70% of the Guinean population is under 35 years old. So, we believe that this youth needs a new political offer centered on the issues and challenges of the modern world,” says Siaka Barry.
In an exclusive interview with PAV, Siaka Barry says the MPDG positions itself as a party of hope for this Guinean youth. “This is why we are resolutely committed to competing with the old traditional parties and we are optimistic that with the support of the young people of Guinea, the final victory will be on our side,” Siaka Barry affirms with confidence.
A former Minister of Culture, Sports, and Historical Heritage between 2016 and 2017 under, Siaka Barry has been of the most vocal and outspoken politicians in a country where civil liberties have been largely curtailed since the military ousted President Alpha Conde.
“Some actions have been timidly initiated, particularly within the framework of the general census of the population, consultations for the drafting of a new constitution and preparatory work for the establishment of an electoral register. However, these results are very meager in view of the objectives set for a period of two years. If the pace is not accelerated, the impatience of the population risks creating a crisis of confidence,” Siaka Barry cautions.
Could we start with a summary of how Guinea is doing now economically, politically, and socially?
Siaka Barry: Guinea is currently in a phase of transition which is the third in our history since our independence acquired on October 2, 1958. The present transition is taking place in a relatively peaceful and stable climate, although the country is facing exogenous shocks (especially the war in Ukraine) which causes a certain inflation and an increasing cost of living.
The reforms undertaken by the new authorities, the CNRD, particularly in the fight against corruption, macro-economic stability, support for the agricultural sector, improvement of road infrastructure, etc. are levers that explain a certain resilience of our country in the face of these brutal shocks.
On the political level, several challenges still challenge Guineans. Conducting a peaceful transition can only be achieved through consensus and consultation. However, the political dialogue initiated by the government is struggling to bring together all the political actors with a view to resolving the crisis. How to respect the deadline of 24 months concluded between the government and ECOWAS for the return to constitutional order in a climate of peace and understanding, in order to achieve credible and transparent elections. This is the great political challenge that awaits Guinea.
This interview has been done in the wake of a military coup in Niger, how was this news received by you and what did Guineans think about it?
Siaka Barry: I personally welcomed the coup in Niger on July 26 with bitterness and great concern for the future of democracy in Africa. We thought that the demon of coups had moved away from Africa at the end of the 20th century and that Africa was now entering a virtuous phase of democracy and the rule of law.
Niger has just reminded us that this demon is not as far away as we imagined, when we know that West Africa has just recorded seven coups in 3 years. This same feeling of concern is widely shared by Guineans.
How has life been for you generally and what have you been up to since the military ousted the government of President Conde?
Siaka Barry: Before the overthrow of President Alpha Condé’s regime, I had the honor of serving Guinea as Minister of Culture and Sports in his government. A political and ideological rupture will end up distancing us and will push me to create a political party, the MPDG (Mouvement Populaire Démocratique de Guinée) which will obtain 3 seats in the national assembly. At the end of 2020, I resigned from the National Assembly because of political differences. The reversal of the regime will follow only a few months on September 5, 2021.
Since then, I have been working to establish our party across the country in view of the next election.
During your stint as Minister of Culture, Sports and Historical Heritage of Guinea, may we know what this experience meant to you and some of the achievements you registered?
Siaka Barry: My time as Minister of Culture, Sports and Historical Heritage between 2016 and 2017 was a very rewarding experience for me. You know Guinea is a country with a rich cultural and historical heritage. It was an honor for me to initiate actions for the preservation and promotion of this vast heritage during my time in the ministry. The strengthening of our country’s sports performance during my time in the ministry is also something to highlight.
Last October, Guinea’s ruling regime agreed to restore civilian rule in two years, what progress have we seen towards this and are Guineans convinced about their sincerity on this?
Siaka Barry: Indeed, the transition regime has made a commitment to Guinea’s return to constitutional order in 24 months from January 2023. Ten projects were then agreed to lead to the presidential election and the installation of democratic institutions.
To date, some actions have been timidly initiated, particularly within the framework of the general census of the population, consultations for the drafting of a new constitution and preparatory work for the establishment of an electoral register.
However, these results are very meager in view of the objectives set for a period of two years. If the pace is not accelerated, the impatience of the population risks creating a crisis of confidence.
Can you shed light on your party the Democratic People’s Movement of Guinea -MPDG, how has the party been operating under the present politically circumstances in Guinea?
Siaka Barry: The MPDG is a young Guinean political party of social democracy obedience whose first activities were launched on February 2, 2019. In its first participation in a legislative election in Guinea, the MPDG ranked 3rd out of 30 parties electing 3 deputies to the National Assembly.
To date, in a context of renewal of the Guinean political class, the MPDG is one of the most emerging and growing parties, especially in rural areas. We continue intensively the establishment of the party throughout the territory with the objective of winning power in the next elections.
For long the political space was dominated by leaders like ousted President Conde, and opposition leader like Cellou Diallo, where does the MPDG fit in the current and future political dynamics of Guinea?
Siaka Barry: Yes, as I was saying earlier, the political map is currently being redrawn in Guinea. Our population is very young, almost 70% of the Guinean population is under 35 years old. So, we believe that this youth needs a new political offer centered on the issues and challenges of the modern world.
The MPDG positions itself as a party of hope for this Guinean youth. This is why we are resolutely committed to competing with the old traditional parties and we are optimistic that with the support of the young people of Guinea, the final victory will be on our side.
May we know what kind of vision your party has for Guinea, what are some of the key proposals your party has in mind for a better Guinea?
Siaka Barry: Our vision is that of a Guinea that finally manages to complete the construction of a strong, united and prosperous nation. A nation in which justice, social equity, solidarity, unity, respect for diversity will be the basis of a solid democracy in sustainable development.
To this end, our party emphasizes 5 major pacts:
– the promotion of the rule of law through justice and democratic principles.
– the construction of a strong economy by the rational exploitation of our strong natural potential in an equitable partnership with the rest of the world.
-The fight against corruption and the promotion of ethics and good governance.
-the fight against all forms of social discrimination and the strengthening of the education and health system.
– restore Guinea’s image abroad through a balanced foreign policy geared towards economic development.
How concerned are you and your party about the surge in military coups and what do you make of the way ECOWAS, the AU and the broader international community responded to the coup in Niger?
Siaka Barry: As I mentioned earlier, the resurgence of coups in Africa constitute a real setback for democracy and a threat to the rule of law.
In the specific case of Niger, while strongly condemning the coup and especially the arrest of President Bazoum, which is similar to a hostage-taking, I think that ECOWAS got confused on its own in its strategies.
In my opinion, the use of military force should be the last option after having exhausted all other levers. However, the weariness of ECOWAS remains understandable when we know that it has just recorded the 7th coup in its space in 3 years.
What do you make of the growing anti-French sentiment, and the growing presence of other powers like Russia, China, and the USA, what kind of relations will Guinea have with these powers if you were President?
Siaka Barry: As I said on the main pillars of our social project, we want to develop a balanced and diversified diplomacy towards all the powers wishing to maintain mutually respectful and advantageous relations.
The anti-French sentiment expressed today almost everywhere in Africa is born from the rejection of the paternalistic relations that France has always wanted to maintain with its former colonies without adapting to the realities of an increasingly multipolar world.
The challenges facing African countries today are no longer ideological but essentially economic. This is why African youth are asking to break the old historical chains that hinder their development, while turning to new, more economically advantageous partnerships -China, USA, BRICS, etc.
Are you concerned with the continuous detention of potential candidates for the presidential elections like former Prime Minister Ibrahima Kassory Fofana?
Siaka Barry: When the army took power, one of the measures I most applauded was the fight against corruption and the moralization of public management. It is in this context that several former collaborators of former President Alpha Condé have been pinned down by the courts. The objective behind this operation was noble. However, in view of the targets pursued so far, we are entitled to ask legitimate questions.
Doesn’t the arrest of former Prime Minister Kassory Fofana and several members of his government, as well as their prolonged detention, raise fears of the politicization of the judicial process? This is why we continue to call for the diligence of this procedure to situate each accused on his fate, preferably before the next elections.
In the vision that you and your party have, what will be the fate of the Simandou project that was touted as a game changer for Guinea under President Conde?
Siaka Barry: As for the Simandou project, it is indeed, in our view, the backbone of the mining development of our country. The current government following the Alpha Condé government has done a lot for the effective start of the project by eliminating endogenous and exogenous constraints. Personally, I attach great importance to two aspects of the project: the infrastructure component and the financial impact of the operation on the public treasury.
When you look at Guinea today, what gives you hope and what are your fears for its future?
Siaka Barry: Today, seeing my country Guinea, the reason for hope that I have is the dynamism of its youth, the resilience of its populations and the diversity of its natural resources. I am convinced that with a better education of this youth, we will be able to turn its creative energy towards the transformation of these enormous natural potentialities into real wealth.
On the other hand, this dream can only be accomplished in national unity and social justice, but my main fear lies in this social, ethnic, and tribal tearing which we are witnessing more and more because of political excesses.
It’s our mission, as a new generation, to find the appropriate remedies before it’s too late.
*Culled From August Edition of PAV Magazine
