Coup Leader Sworn in as Guinea's Interim President

On Friday, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya took office as Guinea’s Interim president, almost a month after the coup that put an end to President Alpha Conde’s administration.

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Despite pressure from the international community, Doumbouya took office without a time limit. Now, he has complete control over the Military Junta and the Transitional government.

Last Monday, after a negotiation with religious leaders, political parties, unions, and citizen movements, the 'Transition Charter' was promulgated. It grants all powers to Doumbouya: besides being head of the Armed Forces, he is president of the National Reunification Committee for Development (CNRD), which was created by the coup leaders on Sept. 5.

In the coming days, Doumbouya is expected to appoint a civilian to the office of Prime Minister of the 'National Unity Government' (NUG).

A National Council for the Transition (CNT) will be established to replace the Parliament. It will have 81 members proposed by political parties, civil society associations, trade unions, employers, and security forces. Members of the former Conde regime will be excluded from any governing body.

In the previous weeks, the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened to establish sanctions against the military coup leaders if they did not define a specific period for the return to democracy.

Doumbouya, however, ignored that request and did not specify the duration of the interim government. During the "transitional period," he seeks to reorganize the Army, approve economic reforms, and promulgate a new constitution.