Guinea Country Report

Guinea is a developing country in West Africa. Despite a vast wealth of mineral resources, including over one-third of the world's bauxite reserves, Guinea's economy remains severely underdeveloped due in large part to a legacy of widespread corruption. While the country has experienced relative stability since 2010, when long-time opposition leader Alpha Conde became the nation's first democratically-elected president, the September 2021 coup, which ousted Conde, leaves the country in an unstable political situation.

Guinea is considered a security lynchpin and buffer in a region where three of its neighbors, namely Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone, are recovering from civil conflicts.

Opportunistic street crime and road travel accidents are the primary threats to foreign travelers. Transport, communications and energy infrastructure are underdeveloped, particularly in rural areas, hindering the business climate further. Guinea is also susceptible to periodic outbreaks of deadly diseases and was notably the epicenter of the 2014 West African Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, which severely strained its limited healthcare facilities as well as adversely impacted regional economies.

In September 2021, Guinea witnessed another coup, which ousted President Alpha Conde. A faction of the army took over power.

Opportunistic street crime is the main threat to foreign nationals, especially in urban centers and tourist areas. Civil unrest, driven by grievances over service delivery and infrastructure as well as ethno-political tensions, occurs frequently in Guinea, especially during election periods. There is no evidence of terrorist groups operating in Guinea or looking to target foreign interests in the country, although there are general concerns over the spread of Islamist militant activity in the region.

There are no safety concerns over air travel.

Road travel in Guinea is hazardous due to poor road conditions, dangerous driving habits and criminal activity.

Ports are considered relatively inefficient due to traffic.

Only 34% of the population have access to electricity. Access to water has significantly improved.

Cybercrime is not a serious concern given the limited Internet access among the population.

Guinea has a tropical and humid climate, with an average annual temperature of around 26C (80F). Flooding and mudslides are recurrent annual concerns during the June-November rainy season.

Standards of medical care are limited in Guinea, and severe injuries and medical problems will likely require air evacuation to a country with more modern facilities. Cash upfront is required for health services, even in an emergency. Pharmaceuticals are also limited, and many prescription and over-the-counter drugs may be unavailable. Several diseases, including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and cholera are present in the country and threaten travelers, necessitating vaccination or prophylaxis.

After achieving solid democratic gains since transitioning to a new political system in 2010 - although ethno-political divisions remained a latent threat to stability - on September 5, 2021, the country witnessed another coup, which ousted President Alpha Condé. Corruption poses a significant impediment to the business climate in the country. The effectiveness of law enforcement institutions is undermined by a lack of resources and training, as well as corruption.