2023-05-16 18:32:30
The process of drafting the new Constitution continues within the National Council for the Transition (CNT). After the symposium on constitutionalism on February 21 and 22, the conference on the gender-sensitive Constitution on April 27 and 28, gives way to the debate on constitutional orientation. Monday, May 15, was held in the hemicycle of the People’s Palace of Conakry, the launching ceremony of the said debate. This activity, which will be held for two weeks, will establish dialogue between the CNT, social, political, economic, cultural actors and republican institutions. It seeks to offer a participatory and inclusive approach, to collect information from each of the components of the nation, to take into account the opinions and aspirations of the populations on what should be the content of the future Constitution.
At the end of this debate, an overall report of the exchanges will be made available to the Commission for drafting the preliminary draft of the Constitution. The president of the CNT, Dansa Kourouma, declares that the constitutional orientation debate is a “major moment of the transition, inviting the components of the nation to give their opinions, collect, dissect, clarify the respective positions of the political parties, organizations of civil society, the trade unions with the aim of formulating proposals on the main lines of the new Constitution”. The president of the CNT promises that we will think together, without complacency, to “choose our constitutional orientation, lay down the legal and political guidelines useful for the hoped-for success of the Transition. The objective is to rethink the reorganization of the Guinean political space, in the light of our constitutional history”. He remains convinced that “gender, the autonomy of democratic institutions and communities, the enhancement of the equity of the interests of minorities, regions, political, social and religious entities constitute important benchmarks to be taken into account” .
An expression of our sovereignty
Dansa Kourouma emphasizes what Constitutional intangibilities must be and stresses that this work must be the authentic expression “of our sovereignty, our desire to live in harmony with our choices and our own values…, without forgetting our relations with the rest of the world. According to him, it is at this price that the Constitution will be able to “respond to our need for stability, tranquility (…), resist the inclinations of men towards the adventures of a change in time and space…, above all when they operate to satisfy personal or sectarian ambitions”. Dansa Kourouma says that the people of Guinea must follow this process of codifying their aspirations and wills, watch over their Constitution and their laws, and not at all slumber under the effect of political charms and identity empathy.
A constitution that can adapt
Invited to this launching ceremony, the Prime Minister, Bernard Goumou, affirms that the future Constitution must imperatively “respond to the aspirations of the people, stand the test of time and resist the temptations of men. It must have the capacity to adapt to its environment, to embrace the great universal principles, while preserving our own identity”.
Bernard Goumou to assert that the stakes are high. “This is why we are convinced that the principles and values that should prevail in the reflection and in the drafting of the future constitutional text will be essential for the orientation that we wish to give to our country…, for a peaceful and for the benefit of all”. For the safeguard of the sovereignty of our country, the PM says that it is imperative that we have a constitution “which guarantees our national unity in our diversity, which constitutes a bulwark against any attempt at revision for personal, selfish ends and provides sanctions against the perpetrators of any breach”.
The future Constitution would be an opportunity to guarantee fundamental rights relating to education, health, housing, food security for all Guinean citizens and particularly for women and vulnerable people, explains the head of the government. And to insist that this Constitution will have to withstand the tests of time, the economic challenges and above all personal ambitions. “Every word and every line that will be laid down in the draft fundamental law will have to be chosen and adopted on the basis of their quality in reinforcing our principles and values, in particular, national unity and social cohesion, justice and respect of human dignity, as well as solidarity and equity”.
L’UIPthe friend of Guinea
In Guinea for the first time, the Secretary General of the International Parliamentary Union IPU, Martin Chungong, made it clear that he had not come to set himself up as a giver of lessons or to impose solutions that would not be suited to our realities. “I came to carry the message of solidarity, of support to explain that we are wholeheartedly with the Guinean people”. It is delighted as the umbrella institution of parliaments around the world to support Guinea in its efforts. He recalls that Guinea was almost expelled from the Parliamentary Union in October 2021. “Fortunately we were able to convince the governing bodies. When your friend is in trouble, that’s when he needs help. This is what the Inter-Parliamentary Union wanted to do, by being an everyday friend of the Guinean people”.
Martin Chugong reiterated his organization’s desire to support Guinea: “I confirm that what the Prime Minister has just said reflects the Guinean authorities’ desire to organize a rapid return to constitutional order”. Convinced and reassured, he undertakes to pursue the path with Guinea.
Abdoulaye Pellel Bah
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