Lisbon, Sept. 23, 2026 (Lusa) - The World Bank's representative in Guinea-Bissau, Rosa Brito, praised the «significant progress» made in the financial implementation of projects funded by the institution, which has exceeded the regional benchmark of 20% in the last two financial years, it was announced on Wednesday.
According to several media outlets consulted by Lusa on social media, Rosa Brito made the remarks on Monday during the opening of the review meeting on the World Bank Group's project portfolio in Guinea-Bissau.
The meeting, held at a hotel in Bissau, brought together members of the transitional government, project managers and representatives from various socio-economic sectors.
She highlighted that, amongst the indicators, the disbursement rate for 2025 stood at 21.9% and had risen to 25.3% this year – despite, she emphasised, a disruption following last November's coup d'état.
«These results demonstrate the country's ability to achieve better outcomes when there is a joint effort towards clear and shared objectives,» she observed.
She reaffirmed the financial institution's commitment to maintaining «close collaboration» with the government, sectoral ministries and implementing agencies.
She said that the World Bank Group's central focus for the future is to «accelerate the implementation» of ongoing initiatives, optimise the portfolio's overall performance and ensure that investments translate into «concrete and tangible benefits» for the population of Guinea-Bissau.
Following the coup, the World Bank suspended disbursements in January for projects it supports in the country and only resumed them in April.
The Guinea-Bissau military staged a coup d'état on 26 November 2025, one day before the results of the parliamentary and presidential elections were due to be announced, and removed the then President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, from power.
They established a National Transitional Council (CNT), which assumed the powers of parliament, and appointed Ilídio Vieira Té as prime minister and minister of finance.
The opposition considered this to be a staged coup d'état designed to allow Sissoco Embaló, who has been living in Morocco on a regular basis since the coup, to return to power through new presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled by the military for 6 December.
*** The Lusa news agency's bureau in Guinea-Bissau has been suspended since August 2025 following the government's expulsion of representatives from the Portuguese media. Coverage is being provided remotely *** ANP/AYLS // AYLS Lusa
