Speaking on self-determination and sovereignty, Mamadi Doumbouya, President of Guinea, highlighted that his country has adopted a constitution that promotes social cohesion, representation and participatory governance.

He pointed to recent successes of new paved roads, the finished Simandou mining and infrastructure megaproject, new schools and hospitals and the completion of a gold refinery.

“When governance models are tailored to reflect the historical, social and cultural realities of each nation — rather than haphazardly being imposed — that is when development accelerates.”

He gave the examples of Asia and countries in the Middle East that did not wait for validation of an external model before building their prosperity.  “They drew inspiration from the universal experience while at the same time tailoring that to their national brilliance.”  In a single generation, those countries accomplished what took others a century to achieve — and he asserted that Africa can take this path as well.

“This is not a rejection of the world or international cooperation — quite to the contrary.  This is a call for win-win partnership that is respectful of the sovereignty of each nation,” rather than “pre-established arrangements that disregard our realities”.

Guinea will remain a reliable, open and engaged partner to the international community, grounded in mutual respect for the sovereignty of one and all.

Guinea “is moving forward”, he said, by harnessing its own means, by capitalizing on its own choices, for the benefit of its own people.