FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. Relations With Guinea
Bureau of African Affairs
Fact Sheet
June 5, 2012
The United States maintained close relations with Guinea prior to the country's 2008 military coup d’etat, which the U.S. condemned. Following Guinea's presidential elections in 2010, the United States reestablished strong diplomatic relations with the government. U.S. policy seeks to encourage Guinea's democratic reforms, its positive contribution to regional stability, and sustainable economic and social development.
The United States has called on the Government of Guinea to establish an electoral timeline for free, fair, and timely legislative elections, which have been repeatedly delayed. Dialogue between Guinea's Government and political party leadership is essential, and the U.S. has strongly encouraged all political players to reconcile their differences.
U.S. Assistance to Guinea
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) mission in Guinea has a core program that supports democratic transition and election processes, good governance at the local level, and improved service delivery by government institutions through key interventions at the national level. USAID also has significant programming intended to improve health outcomes through improved standards of care and community engagement. Regional programming supports preservation of World Heritage forest sites and critical biodiversity hotspots in Guinea.
Peace Corps volunteers work in four project areas: secondary education, environment/agro-forestry, public health and HIV/AIDS prevention, and small enterprise development.
Bilateral Economic Relations
In late 2011, the U.S. Government reinstated Guinea's African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits, which had been lost in early 2010. The reinstatement followed a review by the U.S. Government to examine whether the country had made "continual progress" in meeting AGOA's eligibility criteria. Those criteria include establishment of a market-based economy, rule of law, economic policies to reduce poverty, protection of internationally recognized worker rights, and efforts to combat corruption; political progress was a key factor. Restoring AGOA eligibility provided opportunities to increase mutually beneficial trade and investment between Guinea and the United States.
The United States and Guinea have signed an investment guarantee agreement offering political risk insurance to U.S. investors through the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
Guinea's Membership in International Organizations
Guinea has been active in efforts toward regional integration and cooperation. Guinea and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.
