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Capital: Bissau
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A year later, a military coup established Joao Vieira as president in 1980. A number of coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him and in 1994 he was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military coup and civil war in 1998 led to Viera's ouster in 1999. Opposition leader Kumba Yala took office following transparent presidential elections in 2000 but he was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003, and Henrique Rosa was sworn in as President. |
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I came here with a team of United Nations consultants to provide advice to the government on the exploration of the country's offshore petroleum potential.
The fist shaped Pidjiguiti Monument on the National Heroes Square honours the memory of some 50 dockworkers massacred by the Portuguese during a strike in 1959.
This is the Presidential Palace facing the National Heroes Square.
Below left, Pio Carreira, the president of the national oil company, with one of the UN consultants.
Below right, myself with another UN consultant in front of the Pidjiguiti Monument.
The comfortable government complex where the crowd of foreign consultants were accommodated.
A typical village in the countryside.
A village common house.
Naked children were a common sight in the poorer parts of the country.
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Capital: Lisbon
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I stopped in Lisbon on the way in and out of Guinea-Bissau. Here are a few photos I took on my way back to New York after the mission. |
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King Edward 7th Park.
View over Lisbon's red tele roofs.
Street scene
That's me.
And this is a Portuguese friend who came back from Guinea-Bissau with me.
In
1956 African nationalist leaders in Portuguese Guinea founded the African Party for
the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). The war for independence, begun
in 1962, ended when Portugal recognized Guinea-Bissau's independence in 1974. Led
by president Luis Cabral, the PAIGC began rebuild with the help of the United Nations
who sent me there in August 1979 to advise the government on the most appropriate
strategy to develop the country's petroleum potential.
