New Guinean President Pledges Closer Ties

New Guinean President Pledges Closer Ties

Professor Alpha Conde, the President-elect of Guinea Conakry, says his government will focus on strengthening ties with African countries as soon as he is sworn-in.

Conde said that if African countries could cooperate and strengthen their bilateral ties, they would earn the respect and recognition of the world.

'' Guinea Conakry will consolidate its relations with African countries; we want the sovereignty of African states to be respected…We will put an end to the impunity and interference of foreign countries in our internal affairs,'' Conde said.

He was speaking in Conakry on Sunday, when he received Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's special envoy and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Odein Ajumogobia.

Conde will be sworn-in as the first democratically elected president this week.

He scored 52 per cent of the ballots cast in the November 7 election, beating his rival, former Prime Minister Cello Diallo.

Guinea, which gained independence from France in 1958, has been under an interim government led by General Sekouba Konate since some military officers staged a coup d'état in 2008.

Ajumogobia gave assurances that the cordial relations between the two countries would continue to grow, saying that Guinea had a vital role to play in the region.

NAN/Yinka