Bissau, May 26, 2025 (Lusa) - The president of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is paying a state visit to Bissau on Monday and Tuesday, has declared that his country will always stand by Guinea-Bissau in its efforts to strengthen security and stability.
Speaking briefly to journalists at the end of a meeting with Guinea-Bissau officials, including the country's president, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the Senegalese head of state said that the reciprocal visits by the countries' leaders demonstrate "the excellence of bilateral relations" at present.
"I would like to assure you that Senegal will always stand by Guinea-Bissau in its endeavours to strengthen its security and stability," said Faye, on the first day of his visit to Bissau.
Arriving in the Guinea-Bissau capital on a plane from Senegal, Faye was welcomed at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport by Sissoco Embaló, in the presence of members of his government, the diplomatic corps, traditional leaders and a local traditional music group.
Then, travelling in the same presidential vehicle, Sissoco Embaló and Faye headed for to the centre of Bissau, a distance of eight kilometres, past waving locals and Senegalese students from Bissau's French schools along the road.
After brief talks at the presidential palace in Bissau, the two leaders led delegations from their respective countries for a bilateral meeting that lasted around three hours, followed by a statement to journalists.
The president of Senegal said that his third visit to Bissau in a year and Sissoco Embaló's "numerous visits" to Senegal "testify to the excellence of relations" between the two countries.
At Monday's meeting, said Faye, the two countries' officials discussed "in a specific and historic way" the good neighbourliness that must be consolidated.
"I would like to express my satisfaction at the rich cooperation in various fields between Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, particularly in defence and security, education, training, health, agriculture, fishing, to name a few," he said.
Faye also recalled the meeting held in October 2024 between the foreign ministers ofThe Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, which, among other things, dealt with issues related to border security, free movement, connectivity, agriculture, fishing, trade and the processing of products.
The Senegalese leader said that at Monday's meeting he and the Guinea-Bissau side discussed global challenges, including instability, the risk of the disintegration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the crisis of multilateralism, the economic and financial crisis and climate change.
On all these issues, Faye said, there was a "perfect convergence of vision" with Guinea-Bissau.
Sissoco Embaló responded that he was sure and certain that "there is no country that is more sensitive to Guinea-Bissau's situation" than Senegal, which is why, whenever he leaves his country for Dakar, he often says that he is going home.
The Guinea-Bissau president hailed the fact that this is the first state visit to his country by any president of Senegal, emphasising that it is a historic visit by the leader of a country that contributed to Guinea-Bissau's liberation struggle.
The president of Senegal is to return to Dakar on Tuesday, but first he will visit a factory that processes cashew nuts, Guinea-Bissau's main agricultural product and export.
Faye was awarded the Amílcar Cabral medal, the highest honour of the Guinean state, by Sissoco Embaló.
MB/ARO // ARO.
Lusa
