The new Preisident juggles allies, woos French business and
upsets the neighbours
The famous victory of 19 March (AC Vol 41 Nos 5 & 7) is 100 days old. The democratic elan and spirit survive but the 'state of grace' is fading as President Abdoulaye Wade's new team faces the new political realities. The armed forces have been purged, to avert the (remote) chance that they might try to imitate Côte d'Ivoire's Christmas coup. There is no more talk of military intervention in Guinea Bissau, as happened in 1998-99. Wade has replaced the armed forces chief, General Mamadou Seck, head of the armed forces, with Colonel (now Brigadier) Babacar Gaye, and has promoted colonels to replace other generals (who were pensioned off with jobs in unprivatised parastatals, which bodes ill for Wade's economic reforms).
End of preview - This article contains approximately 1361 words.
