Deposed Guinea President Alpha Conde Is Well, Say ECOWAS Envoys

Conakry, Sept 11 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Sep, 2021 ) :Deposed Guinean president Alpha Conde is in good health, envoys from West Africa bloc ECOWAS said Friday during a mission to the country organised after last week's coup.

Guinea's ruling military has been coming under growing diplomatic pressure after special forces led by Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya seized power on Sunday and arrested Conde.

ECOWAS suspended Guinea this week. On Friday, the African Union (AU) followed suit.

The pan-African body tweeted that it had decided "to suspend the Republic of Guinea from all AU activities and decision-making bodies." Mediators from ECOWAS -- the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States -- landed in the Guinean capital Conakry on Friday.

They met coup leader Doumbouya, who arrived at the hotel where the envoys were staying flanked by special forces commandos.

ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, who was part of the delegation, said that mediators had seen Conde in the city's junta headquarters.

"President Alpha Conde is well," he told reporters.

Burkinabe Foreign Minister Alpha Barry, another delegation member, confirmed that the 83-year-old former leader was in good health.

After the visit, Guinea's stand-in foreign minister Fanta Cisse spoke of an agreement "in principle" to release Conde.

She said it was "difficult to answer immediately a request" to free the ex-president, however "the principle is recognised".

Increasing pressure on Guinea comes amid rising fears of democratic backsliding across West Africa, where strongmen are an increasingly familiar sight.

Guinea's putsch has drawn parallels with its neighbour Mali, which has suffered two coups since August last year led by Colonel Assimi Goita, who was also a special forces commander.