Dr Christopher Fomunyoh meets President Alpha CONDE of Guinea

In his recent high profile visit to the Republic of Guinea, Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior Director for Africa at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) met and had a lengthy discussion with President Alpha Conde at the Sékhoutouréya presidential palace. 

The meeting covered issues pertaining to democraisation process in Guinea and more specifically on the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for July. The oil-rich Central African country, has been trying for a number of years to distance itself from its international image of a dictatorship.  See video footage below....

                                 
Chris Fomunyoh also seized the opportunity to deliver a condolence message, on behalf of NDI regarding the recent death of 11 Guinean millitary officers who died in a plane crash on the 11th of February 2013 while on duty.

From L: Guinea's opposition leaders UFDG's Cellou Dalein Diallo, NFD's Mamadou Mouctar Diallo, NFC's Aboubacar Sylla and GTP's Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, attend a rally on February 18, 2013 in Conakry. The leading opposition parties in Guinea announced Saturday they were pulling out of May 12 parliamentary polls, accusing the ruling party and the electoral body of turning the vote into a farce. - Copyright : AFP/File

The leading opposition parties in Guinea announced Saturday they were pulling out of May 12 parliamentary polls, accusing the ruling party and the electoral body of turning the vote into a farce.

"The opposition political parties have decided to withdraw from the electoral process which is supposed to lead the country to the legislative elections," senior opposition figure and former minister Aboubacar Sylla told reporters in Conakry.

He was speaking in the name of three coalitions representing the bulk of the restive west African country's opposition.

"We have observed that the electoral has veered completely off track," Sylla said.

"The electoral commission, set up under the authority of the president (Alpha Conde), is neither impartial nor neutral and is systematically violating every constitutional provision, even its own internal regulations," he added.

Thousands of opposition supporters marched in the streets of Conakry on February 18 to demand fair transparent elections and protest against the South African company selected to revise the electoral roll.

The vote was due to have taken place in 2011 and has been postponed several times already.

Sylla said more peaceful marches would be organised on February 27 and 28 in a bid to force the electoral commission to drop South African company WayMark and allow the diaspora to vote.

Nevertheless, the Regional Director of NDI expressed satisfaction to the commitment the Head of State and other actors are taking to make sure the electoral process goes credibly to ensure transparent elections; he also reaterated reassurance by saying, the NDI was a sister organization to Guinea and will stand side by side to accompany and ensure its democratic process.