ANNEX 2 
GUINEA-BISSAU Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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  CONTENTS 
 
  Page 
I.  ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 189  
 (1)   MAIN FEATURES OF THE ECONOMY  189  
 (2)   RECENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS  191  
 (3)   TRENDS IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT  193  
  (i) Trade in good s and services 193 
  (ii) Foreign direct investment 194 
 (4)   OUTLOOK  197 
II.  TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES 198  
 (1)   INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK  198  
(2)  REGULATION OF FOREIGN TRADE  199  
 (3)   TRADE AGREEMENTS  200  
 (4)   FOREIGN INVESTMENT REGIME  201  
 (5)   BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT  202  
III.  TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 204  
 (1)   MEASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING IMPORTS  204  
  ( i )   Registration 204  
  (ii)   Customs procedures 205  
  (iii)   Preshipment inspection and customs valuation 206  
  ( i v )   Rules of origin 207  
  (v) Customs levies 207 
  ( v i )   Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licensing 209  
  (vii)  Standards, technical regulations and accreditation procedures 210  
  (viii)  Sanitary and phytosanitary measures 210  
  (ix) Packaging, marking and labelling requirements 212   ( x )   Contingency measures 212  
  ( x i )   Other measures 212  
 (2)   M
EASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING IMPORTS  212  
  ( i )   Registration and customs procedures 212  
  (ii)   Export duties and taxes 212  
  (iii)   Goods in transit 213  
  ( i v )   Export prohibitions and controls 213  
  ( v )   Export subsidies and promotion 213  
 (3)   MEASURES AFFECTING PRODUCTION AND TRADE  214  
  ( i )   Incentives 214  
  (ii)   Competition and price control regime 214  
  (iii)   State trading, State-owned ente rprises and privatization 214  
  ( i v )   Government procurement 214  
  ( v )   Protection of intellectual property rights 215  WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 186 
  
    Page 
IV.  TRADE POLICY AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR 217  
 (1)   AGRICULTURAL , FORESTRY AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS  217  
  ( i )   Reform of property law and foreign direct investment 218  
  (ii)   Cashew nuts 218  
 (2)   FISHERIES PRODUCTS  221  
 (3)   MINING AND ENERGY  226  
  ( i )   Petroleum and gas products, and coal 226  
  (ii)   Other mining products 227  
  (iii)   Electricity and water 229  
 (4)   MANUFACTURING  229  
 (5)   TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES  230  
 (6)   TRANSPORT SERVICES  231  
  ( i )   Air transport 231  
  (ii)   Maritime transport and port services 232  
  (iii)   Land transport 234  
 (7)   TOURISM SERVICES  234  
 (8)   FINANCIAL SERVICES  235  
  (i) Insurance 235 
  (ii)   Other financial services 235  
V.  AID FOR TRADE 236 
 (1)   INTRODUCTION  236  
 (2)   INTEGRATION OF TRADE INTO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY  236  
  ( i )   National development strategy 236  
  (ii)   Integrated Framework 237  
  (iii)   Supply-side constraints 237  
  (iv) Needs in terms of Aid for Trade and trade-related technical assistance 238 
 (3)   AID-FOR-TRADE ASSISTANCE  238  
  ( i )   Overview of development aid flows in the economy 238  
  (ii)   Overview of Aid for Trade 240  
 (4)   MATCHING NEEDS AND ASSISTANCE  240  
  ( i )   National coordination mechanisms 240  
  (ii) Monitoring and evaluation 241 
 (5)   OUTLOOK FOR AID FOR TRADE  241  
REFERENCES 243 
APPENDIX TABLES 245 
 Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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  CHARTS 
 
  Page 
 I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
 
I.1 Structure of trade in goods, 2006 and 2011 195 I.2 Direction of trade in goods, 2006 and 2011 196 
 
TABLES 
 
I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
 I.1 Basic economic indicators, 2005-2011 190 
I.2 Balance of payments, 2005-2011 193 
 II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES 
 
II.1 Guinea-Bissau's legislative texts relating to trade and investment, 2012  200 
 
III. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE  
III.1 Variable component of  the BSC tariff, 2011 205 
III.2 Fiscal revenue by main source, 2006-2011 207 III.3 Excise duties ( imposto especial de consumo ), 2011 209 
III.4 Import controls, 2011 210 
III.5 Services involved in SPS protection, 2011 211 III.6 Contribuição predial rústica , 2011 213 
III.7 Applications received by the Directorate-General of Industrial Property 
 and transmitted to the OAPI, 2004-2011 215  
IV. TRADE POLICY AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR 
IV.1 Guinea-Bissau's main crops, 2000 and 2006-2011 217 
IV.2 Indicators for Guinea-Bissau's trade in cashew nuts, 2000 and 2003-2011 219 
IV.3 Institutions, laws and regulations on trade in fisheries products 222 
IV.4 Number of licences issued in 2000, 2003 and 2010, by type of fishing 224 IV.5 Background to EU - Guinea-B issau fisheries agreements 225 
 
IV. AID FOR TRADE 
V.1 Trend in ODA, 2006-2008 239 
V.2 Areas of intervention of the major development partners, 2007-2009 239 V.3 Aid-for-Trade flows - CRS estimates, 2006-2009 240 
 
APPENDIX TABLES 
IV. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  
AI.1 Structure of imports, 2006-2011 247 
AI.2 Structure of exports, 2006-2011 248 AI.3 Origin of imports, 2006-2011 249 
AI.4 Destination of exports, 2006-2011 250 
 Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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  I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
(1) MAIN FEATURES OF THE ECONOMY  
1. Guinea-Bissau has abundant natural resources which are severely under-exploited.  As a 
result of a number of structural weaknesses, exa cerbated by the socio-political instability which has 
persisted since 1998, its economy is extremely vu lnerable to external shocks.  Guinea-Bissau's 
economy remains focused primarily on a cash crop, the cashew nut, grown mainly on a small scale 
and exported unprocessed, almost exclusively to India.   Guinea-Bissau is also heavily dependent on 
imports for its supplies of energy, including el ectricity (domestic production 100 per cent thermal 
energy), and food products, as well as for transport services.  The country imports almost all the 
manufactured products, and all the hydrocarbons, it c onsumes.  Moreover, Guinea-Bissau's electricity 
network is not connected to those of its neighbours;   a significant energy deficit continues to hamper 
the country's development. 
2. In 2010 the population of Guinea-Bissau was estimated at nearly 1.5 million, of whom 
around 70 per cent were living in rural areas (Table  I.1), underlining the importance of the primary 
sector as a source of jobs and income.  The struct ure of Guinea-Bissau's GDP has in fact remained 
virtually unchanged since 2006;  agriculture and services continue to dominate the economy, while 
manufacturing and construction are still at an embryoni c stage.  Despite its ri ch fisheries resources, 
the country does not take advantage of the multiplier effects that commercial fi shing could have on its 
domestic economy.  Moreover, the considerable potential of mining resources in Guinea-Bissau's 
subsoil remains virtually unexploited.  There ar e also significant opportunities for transport and 
tourism in Guinea-Bissau, as well as for the diversif ication and mechanization of agriculture.  The 
data concerning the sectoral breakdown of GDP are only estimates, because of the size of the informal sector. 
3. The limited coverage and obsolescence of Guinea-Bissau's basic infrastructures (Chapter IV) 
give rise to considerable extra costs, even causing so me areas of the national territory to be cut off in 
certain seasons.  The absence of operational quality control measures is hampering the expansion of 
foreign trade and jeopardizing th e protection of public health a nd of the environment.  These 
constraints on the business climate are aggravated by red tape. 
4. The financial sector, which remains little deve loped, is unable to mobilize sufficient 
long-term resources to meet the financing needs of economic operators, and this remains a major 
obstacle to the expansion and diversification of Guinea-Bissau's economy.  Gross domestic savings 
were negative throughout the period 2006-2010, prov iding further evidence of  the reliance on current 
transfers from abroad.  Guinea-Bissau is heavily reliant on development aid for the financing of 
public investment;  the impact of recent relief on its external debt (section (2)) has been limited by the 
suspension of some bilateral aid, in particular ai d from the European Union.  The poverty rate in 
2010 is estimated at 69.3 per cent, as compared w ith 64.7 per cent in 2002;  the extreme poverty rate 
also increased over the same period, rising from 20.8 per cent to 33 per cent.
1 
                                                      
1 Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration (2011). WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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  Table I.1 
Basic economic indicators, 2005-2011 
 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Miscellaneous        
Population (million) 1.4 1 .4 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.5 ..
  In rural areas (% of total population) 70.4 70.3 70.2 70.2 70.1 70.0 ..
Total public debt (% of GDP) .. 165.3 152.2 126.1 127.7 131.6 17.8
Total external debt (% of GDP) .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Debt servicing (% of exports of go ods and services) .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Gross official reserves (in import months , goods and services) .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Real GDP (US$ million, at 1986 pr ices) .. 433.5 447.3 461.8 475.4 492.3 ..
GDP at market prices (US$ m illion) .. 578.5 690.7 842.9 820.8 828.5 ..
Sectoral distribution of GDP (Percentage of GDP) 
Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and hunting .. 41.6 41.9 45.8 46.0 46.1 ..
  Agriculture .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
  Livestock .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
  Forestry, fishing and hunting .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Industry .. 13.2 12.9 12.8 12.8 12.8 ..
  Mining and quarrying .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
  Manufacturing .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
  Electricity, gas and water supply .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
  Construction and public works .. 0.9 1.5 0.9 1.0 1.0 ..
Services .. 40.7 40.9 37.4 37.2 37.1 ..
  Tradable services .. 30.1 30.5 28.5 28.5 28.6 ..
  Trade, restaurants and hotels .. 19.9 21.0 19.3 19.2 19.2 ..
  Transport and communications .. 4.5 4.2 4.2 4.1 4.2 ..
  Banking, insurance and other services .. 5.8 5.3 5.0 5.1 5.2 ..
  Non-tradable services .. 10.6 10.4 8.9 8.8 8.5 ..
Indirect taxes .. 4.6 4.3 4.0 4.0 4.1 ..
National accounts (Percentage of GDP) 
Final consumption .. 105.2 101.7 101.7 103.8 101.1 ..
  Private .. 90.1 86.5 89.5 91.5 89.2 ..
  Public .. 15.1 15.2 12.2 12.2 11.9 ..
Gross fixed capital formation .. 10.7 12.0 11.5 12.5 12.6 ..
  Public .. 5.8 6.9 6.5 7.8 7.5 ..
  Private .. 5.0 5.1 5.0 4.7 5.1 ..
Variation in inventory .. -0.6 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 ..
Exports of goods and services .. 14.8 17.1 16.6 16.2 15.9 ..
Imports of goods and services .. 30.1 31.0 29.9 32.6 29.9 ..
Gross national savings  .. 3.2 7.8 8.1 6.8 5.1 ..
Gross domestic savings  .. -5.2 -1.7 -1.7 -3.8 -1.1 ..
Prices and interest rates      
Inflation (CPI, % change) 3.3 2.0 4.6 7.9 -2.8 2.3 ..
Discount rate (end of period, annual percentage) 4.0 4.3 4.3 4.8 4.3 4.3 ..
Interest rate (term deposit, 12 months) 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 ..
Exchange rates    
CFAF/US$ (annual average)  527.5 522.9 479.3 447.8 472.2 495.3 ..
Real effective exchange rate (end of period, % change) .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Nominal effective exchange rate (end of period, % change) .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
 Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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   2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Public finances (Percentage of GDP) 
Revenue and grants .. 16.7 16.2 17.3 24.3 20.9 ..
  Current revenue .. 10.4 8.0 9.2 9.1 10.8 ..
  Tax revenue  .. 6.1 5.7 5.5 6.9 8.1 ..
  Fishing licences and compensation  .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Total expenditure and net lending .. 19.4 18.8 21.4 22.4 22.0 ..
  Total current expenditure .. 12.9 11.5 14.2 13.0 12.9 ..
  Current primary expenditure .. 11.2 10.2 12.2 11.7 11.8 ..
  Wages .. 4.2 3.7 5.3 5.3 6.2 ..
  Pensions and scholarships .. 4.2 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.5 ..
  Current transfers .. 2.7 2.8 3.3 2.8 2.0 ..
  Interest .. 1.7 1.3 1.9 1.3 1.2 ..
  Capital expenditure .. 5.8 7.2 7.2 9.4 9.1 ..
  Net loans .. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ..
Overall fiscal balance (payment order basis, excluding grants) .. -9.0 -10.8 -12.2 -13.3 -11.2 ..
Overall fiscal balance (payment order basis, including grants) .. -2.7 -2.6 -4.1 1.8 -1.1 ..
Change in arrears .. 2.8 2.1 2.6 -0.1 -1.5 ..
Balance, cash basis (excluding grants) .. -8.2 -10.2 -9.4 -13.4 -13.2 ..
Financing  .. 3.1 3.0 1.3 -1.7 3.2 ..
  Domestic financing .. 0.0 -0.2 -1.2 -2.7 2.3 ..
  External financing .. 3.1 3.2 2.5 1.0 0.9 ..
  Debt relief/rescheduling .. 1.8 1.1 1.3 1.5 0.8 ..
  Errors and omissions .. 5.1 7.2 8.1 15.2 10.0 ..
.. Not available. 
Source : Data provided by the BCEAO;  World Bank, World Development Indicators (WDI) .  Viewed at:  
http://databank.worldbank.org. 
(2) RECENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS  
5. Despite a difficult environment (socio-political instability, partial suspension of 
European Union aid, and global fo od, oil and financial crises), th ere was a moderate progression in 
Guinea-Bissau's economy during the review period (com mon report, Table I.1).  Overall, its growth 
continued to reflect the performance of the ca shew nut subsector, which was affected by the 
State's - not always judicious - interventions in the marketing of the crop, as well as by fluctuations in 
external demand and, conse quently, in export prices. 
6. At the fiscal level, since 2009 Guinea-Bissau has embarked upon a series of measures aimed 
at improving revenue collection and public financ ial management.  For this purpose the authorities 
have introduced a computer system that links most  of the ministries and consolidates budget planning, 
execution and accounting;  a reorganization of th e legal framework, including the agreements on 
partial retention of revenue from taxe s collected directly by the ministries, is under way.  An audit of 
the tax commitments of the main importers, conducted in cooperation with the Directorate-General of 
Customs, has led to a reduction in fiscal fraud.  Nevertheless, Guinea-Bissau continues to have the 
lowest tax ratio2 in WAEMU and remains very heavily reliant on customs revenue (common report, 
Table I.1). 
                                                      
2 The WAEMU-defined reference threshold for the tax ratio (fiscal revenue as a percentage of GDP) is 
17 per cent). WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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  7. In a bid to modernize government department s, the authorities are currently deploying a 
computerized personnel management system, centra lizing the payment of officials' salaries.  
A regulation on compulsory retirement for civil serva nts has also been adopted, but has yet to be 
implemented.  As a result of simultaneous efforts to curb government expenditure and consolidate 
fiscal revenue, wages absorbed about 66 per cent of  the latter in 2011, as compared with 96.4 per cent 
in 2008.  Nevertheless, this percentage remains we ll above the WAEMU-defined target of 35 per cent 
(maximum).  Moreover, with an estimated staff of 22,000, the proportion of public servants in 
Guinea-Bissau's population is the highest in WAEMU.3 
8. Budget deficits (excluding grants) pers isted in Guinea-Bissau throughout the 
period 2006-2010 (Table I.1).  The budget defic it increased gradually, reaching 13.3 per cent of GDP 
in 2009 before falling back in 2010.  In general, the financial support given by development partners 
has not sufficed to offset the deficit.  Apart from a surplus (of 1.8 per cent) in 2009, the fiscal balance 
(including grants) has remained in deficit in  a context of precarious cooperation with the 
European Union, which partially suspended its  aid (including financial support) in 2010.4  I n  
December 2010, Guinea-Bissau attained the comp letion point under the Heavily Indebted Poor 
Countries Initiative, affording it multilateral debt reli ef totalling US$1.2 billion;   additional bilateral 
and multilateral cancellations were also granted.5  As a result, the outstanding external debt to 
GDP ratio fell from 121.9 per cent in 2009 to 17.5 per cent at the end of 2011.  The debt cancellations should enable Guinea-Bissau to free up more in ternal resources for improving access to credit and 
financing public works and social programmes. 
9. As a member of WAEMU, Guinea-Bissau applies its common monetary and exchange 
policies (common report, Chapter I).  Inflation h as generally been moderate, fluctuating with the 
world price of cereals and oil (Table I.1).  Bei ng heavily dependent on imports for its supplies of 
hydrocarbons and foodstuffs, Guinea-Bissau has e ndeavoured to soften the impact of strong 
inflationary pressure by decreasing customs valu es and reducing the general sales tax (IGV) on 
certain imported or locally produced fast-moving consum er products (edible oil, rice, sugar, flour).  
Until 2011 these products were also exempt from the mechanism for advance payments on the tax on 
industrial and commercial profits.  The WAEMU Commission estimates that measures aimed at 
holding down inflation may have resulted in lost revenue of CFAF 3.7 billion by the end of 2008. 
10. After falling slightly in 2007-2008, the balance- of-payments current account deficit then grew 
significantly to reach 9.2 per cent of GDP in 2010 (T able I.2).  This increase reflects the worsening of 
the trade deficit (goods and services) and the inabilit y of current transfers to neutralize it.  Total 
imports almost doubled in value between 2006 a nd 2010 as a result of a sustained demand for capital 
goods and the rise in world oil and food prices.  At  the same time, Guinea-Bi ssau felt the effects of 
the international financial and ec onomic crisis through fluctuations in cashew nut prices and a decline 
in remittances from migrants.  Despite a good cashew nut season in 2011, the suspension of transfers 
linked to certain projects financed by the Eu ropean Union caused the deficit to worsen. 
                                                      
3 WAEMU (2010). 
4 Online information from the European Commission.  Viewed at:  http://europa.eu/rapid/ 
pressReleasesAction.do?reference= IP/11/896&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en. 
5 Guinea-Bissau's bilateral debts to Algeria, China and Cuba have been cancelled;  ongoing 
negotiations should result in the cancellation of ap proximately 90% of its Paris Club obligations. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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  Table I.2 
Balance of payments, 2005-2011 
(US$ million) 
 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Current account -10.5 -40.1 -30.5 -28.8 -47.5 -64.1 ..
  Goods -16.3 -52.9 -60.9 -70.7 -80.7 -76.3 ..
  Credits 89.6 74.1 107.0 128.1 121.6 120.2 ..
  Cashew nuts .. 66.4 85.6 103.2 99.1 98.1 ..
  Debits -105.9 -127.0 -167.9 -198.8 -202.3 -196.5 ..
  Services -36.6 -36.2 -34.8 -41.4 -53.7 -39.4 ..
  Credits 5.2 3.4 33.4 43.8 33.1 .. ..
  Debits -41.7 -39.6 -68.2 -85.2 -86.9 .. ..
  Transport (net) -24.9 -22.5 -23.9 -32.0 -30.4 .. ..
  including:  Freight (net) -15.9 -20.2 -23.5 -31.6 -30.1 .. ..
  Travel (net) -8.2 -12.7 -11.8 -7.4 -13.8 .. ..
  Communication services (net) -3.8 -0.2 -0.1 -0.1 7.5 .. ..
  Financial services (other than insurance) (net) 0.0 0.1 1.3 0.2 2.7 .. ..
  Income -8.8 -8.8 -9.7 -14.7 -11.0 -9.9 ..
  Credits 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.2 8.2 .. ..
  Debits -9.3 -9.1 -10.2 -14.9 -19.2 .. ..
  Current transfers 51.2 57.8 75.0 98.0 98.0 61.5 ..
Credits 60.1 66.5 79.2 114.5 118.2 .. ..
Debits -8.9 -8.7 -4.2 -16.5 -20.3 .. ..
Capital and financial operations account 15.8 41.2 25.5 26.9 56.9 .. ..
  Capital account 45.4 32.2 32.1 36.8 70.5 70.9 ..
  Credits 45.4 32.2 32.1 36.8 70.5 .. ..
  Debits 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .. ..
  Financial operations -29.6 9.0 -6.6 -9.8 -13.5 .. ..
  Direct investment   ..
  Abroad (by residents)  -0.7 -0.4 -0.2 0.8 0.1 .. ..
  In the reporting economy (by non-residents) 8.7 17.7 18.8 5.1 17.5 .. ..
  Portfolio investment   ..
  Assets -4.6 1.0 -5.2 -8.4 -19.1 .. ..
  Liabilities 0.0 0.0 0.2 8.9 13.4 .. ..
  Other investments   ..
  Assets 4.3 -6.7 -5.0 -28.2 3.7 .. ..
  Liabilities -18.2 -10.2 5.2 33.2 -11.5 .. ..
  Net assets -19.1 7.6 -20.4 -21.4 -17.6 .. ..
Net errors and omissions -5.3 -1.1 5.0 1.8 -9.4 2.2 ..
.. Not available. 
Source : Data provided by the BCEAO. 
(3) TRENDS IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT  
(i) Trade in goods and services 
11. The breakdown and geographical distribution of Gu inea-Bissau's trade remain hard to identify 
owing to the large informal economy and the lack of rigour in the controls carried out at land borders WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 194 
  
  and on the many islands.  This means that the extent  of the country's foreign trade, particularly its 
community dimension, may not be fully reflected in the available statistics. 
12. There has not been any major change in th e structure of Guinea-Bissau's trade since 2006 
(Tables AI.1 and AI.2).  The leading imports incl ude food products (especially rice, flour and sugar), 
fuel, equipment and machinery, vehicles, cement and medicines.  Fluctuations in the price of oil and 
foodstuffs on international markets have affected the trend in their respective shares of the total value 
of imports.  The European Union, notably Portuga l, is still the main source of merchandise imports, 
followed by Senegal, Brazil, Chin a and Viet Nam (Table AI.3). 
13. Raw cashew nuts still occupy first place among Guin ea-Bissau's exports, with a 99.2 per cent 
share in 2011, as compared with 95.5 per cent in 2006  (Chart I.1).  However, the income from cashew 
nut sales continues to depend heavily on weather f actors and fluctuations in the world price;  
agricultural performance is also affected by the uncertainty generated by the regulatory framework 
governing marketing.  India is the destination of  most (81.4 per cent in 2011) of Guinea-Bissau's 
formal exports of cashew nuts (Chart I.2 and Tabl e AI.4).  This very strong focus on a single product 
and a single outlet carries major risks. 
(ii) Foreign direct investment 
14. Private investment in Guinea-Bissau continues to fall well short of its potential dynamism, 
standing at 2.1 per cent of GDP in 2009.  Despite recent reforms, including in particular the introduction of a single window for setting up companies (Chapter II(4)), the business climate remains difficult because of socio-political instability, defici encies in the basic infrastructures, administrative 
red tape and constraints on access to credit. 
15. During the review period, foreign direct invest ment (FDI) has been made primarily in the 
following sectors:  telecommunications, especially mobile telephony;  retailing;  and financial 
intermediation services.  Despite their considerable  potential, sectors such as the agri-food industry, 
tourism and fisheries have not yet attracted major investment.  The leading investor countries are Portugal, Senegal and Lebanon;  in 2007, inv estment from the WAEMU area represented around 
39 per cent of total FDI stock.
6 
 
                                                      
6 WAEMU (2010). Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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  Chart I.1Structure of trade in goods, 2006 and 2011
2006 2011
(a)    Exports (f.o.b.)
Other
0.7
Cashew nuts
99.2
Total:   US$57.9 million Total:  US$119.2 million
(b)    Imports (c.i.f.)
Other semi-
manufactures
8.3Other consumer 
goods 4.5
Mining and 
quarrying 22.2Automotive 
industry 
products
7.4Other food 
products
25.7
Fuel
22.0Other mining 
and quarrying 
0.2 Chemicals 
5.0Office and 
telecommunictions 
equipment
1.5Other 
manufactured 
articles
9.2
Agriculture
40.7
Mining
and quarrying 
18.8Manufactures
40.4Semi-milled and 
milled rice 
13.9
Other food 
products
26.0
Agricultural raw 
materials
0.8 Fuel
18.5Other mining 
and quarrying
0.3 Other semi-
manufactures
8.8Automotive 
industry 
products
5.8Chemicals 
5.7Other consumer 
goods 4.7Office and 
telecommunications 
equipment
4.1Other 
manufactured 
articles
11.3Other
0.1
Agriculture
41.7
Total:   US$96.3 million Total:   US$149.2 millionPercentage
Other
0.1Mining and 
quarrying
2.4
Semi-milled and 
milled rice
15.2
Source :  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on  data provided by the authorities.Cashew nuts
95.5
Agricultural raw 
materials
0.9Manufactures
36.0Other
2.1
 WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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  Chart I.2
Direction of trade in goods, 2006 and 2011
2006 2011
(a)    Exports (f.o.b.)
Asia
97.4
Singapore
13.9
Other
2.4
Africa
0.2India
81.4
Total:   US$57.9 million Total:  US$119.2 million
(b)    Imports (c.i.f.)
EU (27)
35.9Africa
45.4
Asia
15.1
America
3.5Senegal 
36.0
Other Africa
9.4
Other
0.1EU (27)
55.4Africa
20.5Senegal 
15.2
Other Africa 
5.2
Asia
15.0
America
6.1Other
3.0
Total:   US$96.3 million Total:   US$149.2 millionPercentage
Source :  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities.Asia
95.3India
66.1
Singapore
29.1
Africa
2.6Other
2.0
 Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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  (4) OUTLOOK  
16. Guinea-Bissau's economy, being little diversifie d and heavily reliant on imports to meet a 
number of basic needs, remains very vulnerable to  external shocks, including weather factors and 
fluctuating commodity prices on world markets.  This vulnerability is ma de worse by generally 
deficient infrastructure, as well as by governance problems arising out of the socio-political 
instability.  The extent of these structural weakness es suggests that, in the medium term, the financial 
and trade imbalances are very likely to persist.  Moreover, a general increase in public-sector salaries, 
announced in the run-up to the election, would place further pressure on the budget.  It would appear 
that recourse to external financing, including suppor t from development partners, will continue to play 
an important role in Guinea-Bissau's economic de velopment:  whether or not such financing is 
maintained will depend on the outcome of the political transition currently taking place in 
Guinea-Bissau. 
17. The overall direction of Guinea-Bissau's economic policy is focused on increasing 
productivity by strengthening basic infrastructure and processing cashew nuts locally.  Better exploitation of fisheries and mining resources should,  in time, lessen the country's heavy reliance on 
cashew nut growing.  The continuation of the reforms aimed at eliminating the constraints on the 
emergence of the private sector, in  particular by reorganizing gove rnment departments, would also 
strengthen the viability of public finances. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 198 
  
  II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES 
18. A former Contracting Party to the GATT 1947, Gu inea-Bissau became an original Member of 
the WTO in 1995.  Its status and participation in the WTO are presented in the common report.  As a 
WAEMU member, Guinea-Bissau has given the WAEMU Commission exclusive authority over 
several areas of its third-country trade policy (common report).  Only the specific aspects of its 
legislative and institutional framework are describe d here, insofar as it has been possible to obtain 
information. 
(1) INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK  
19. A former Portuguese colony, Guinea-Bissau declared independence from Portugal 
on 24 September 1973;  its independence was rec ognized by Portugal on 10 September 1974.  Its 
Constitution was adopted on 16 May 1984, and am ended in 1991, 1993 and 1996 to assume its 
present form.7  The country's history to date has been one of almost uninterrupted political and 
military instability.  In April 2012 the military to ok power, arresting and then exiling the President 
and the Prime Minister. 
20. Under the 1996 Constitution (Article 62), the Pr esident of the Republic is Head of State, 
guarantor of national independen ce and guardian of the Constitution,  and Commander-in-Chief of the 
Armed Forces.  He is elected by direct universal suffrage, by a majority of the votes cast.  If no candidate obtains an absolute majority, a sec ond ballot between the two highest-placed candidates 
takes place 21 days later.  The President is elected  for a five-year term.  He may not stand for a 
third consecutive term, or during the five years follo wing the end of his second term (Article 66).  The 
Speaker of the National People's Assembly takes over as interim Head of State if the office of 
president falls vacant (Article 71), as was th e case following the death of the President in 
January 2012.  In principle he has 60 days to hold a new presidential election;  the date set for that election was 18 March 2012, with a second round on 22 April 2012, which did not take place because 
of the coup d'état.
8 
21. The President appoints and dismisses the mini sters and ratifies international treaties and 
conventions.  He may legislate by decree (Article 70) and enact decree-laws.  The latter, which are a 
means for the Executive to substitute itself for the Legislature, must in principle be ratified by the 
Assembly (Article 85);  however, if they are not opposed within 30 days (Article 92) they are automatically deemed ratified.  In the hierarchy of norms, the Constitution takes precedence, followed 
by treaties, laws, decree-laws, decrees and orders. 
22. Legislative power is also exercised by a un icameral parliament, the National People's 
Assembly (ANP).  The legislative term is four year s, and the deputies are elected by direct universal 
suffrage.  The most recent legislative election took place in December 2008;  the next is therefore due 
to be held in November 2012.  By virtue of Artic le 76 et seq., the ANP adopts legislation, motions and 
resolutions, as well as treaties brought before it by the Government.  Thus, both the WTO Agreements 
and the WAEMU Treaty were adopted by means of legislation.  The ANP also adopts, annually in 
principle, the budget law and the State accounts.  Me mbers of the Government may sit, and take the 
floor, in the ANP.  According to the authorities, all legislative texts are apparently published in the 
Official Journal (Boletim Oficial). 
                                                      
7 The Constitution of Guinea-Bissau was view ed at:  http://www.w ipo.int/wipolex/en/ 
text.jsp?file_id=196260 
8 Viewed at:  http://www.jornaldigital.com/noticias.php?noticia=28916 Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 199 
 
 
  23. The Government, appointed by the President of the Republic based on the outcome of the 
legislative election, is led by the Prime Minister (Article 98).  The Governme nt is accountable to the 
ANP, and its programme must be approved by the latter. 
24. Guinea-Bissau has a mixed legal system, based  on civil and customary law.  Under the 
Constitution, the Supreme Court is the highest juri sdiction, followed by the regional and sectoral 
courts and tribunals.  Its independe nce is enshrined in the Constitution (Article 95).  Under Article 92, 
Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President, as is the Public Prosecutor. 
25. In practice, the weakness of the judicial system is significantly hampering the country's 
economic development, as the laws and regulat ory framework which are a precondition for the 
confidence of economic operators are not being app lied effectively, and the protection of contracts 
and other economic rights is not assured.  The count ry's few tribunals and courts are said to be 
overburdened, and their rulings not applied.  The Government has announced its intention to include 
reform of the justice sector as one of the prioriti es in the next monitoring and evaluation report on the 
National Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (DENARP).9 
26. Since 2002 Guinea-Bissau's business legal framework has, in principle, been harmonized with 
that of the other countries of the region through th e implementation of the nine Uniform Acts of the 
Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).  The latter automatically have legal force in Guinea-Bissau, and may in pr inciple be invoked directly before the courts.
10  
Guinea-Bissau apparently has a commercial court, established in 2009 in the framework of OHADA.  
The authorities are seeking assistance for the est ablishment of the OHADA national commission. 
27. The weakness of the judicial system partly ex plains the scale of illicit traffic and helps fuel 
the climate of political and military violence.  The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is working to strengthen the justice system and the rule of law in Guinea-Bissau, in 
particular by giving judges and prosecutors speci alist training to deal with cases involving drug 
trafficking and organized crime, and by supporting the establishment of a central authority for international cooperation in criminal matters and for mutual legal assistance.  The Aircop 
and GIABA projects are also aimed at building capacity to combat crime and money laundering.
11 
28. In addition to the weaknesses of the judicial system, those of government departments have 
also been identified by a number of observers as a major constraint on development.  The country's 
political instability has gone hand in hand with a rapi d turnover of senior managers.  Salaries are very 
low, and until 2009 they were not able to be paid  regularly.  The lack of equipment and operating 
budgets also contributes to fuelling absenteeism, the demotivation of staff and a brain drain.  As a 
result, many State bodies lack the capacity to perform their duties. 
(2) REGULATION OF FOREIGN TRADE  
29. In the context of political instability that th e country has experienced to date, trade and 
investment policies have not been a government  priority and the country is lagging behind 
significantly with the modernization of its regulator y framework for trade in general, and for Customs 
in particular (Chapter III).  Copies of the laws gove rning trade (Table II.1) are extremely difficult to 
obtain. 
                                                      
9 UNDP (2009). 
10 OHADA online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.ohada.org 
11 Viewed at:  http://www.unodc.org WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 200 
  
  Table II.1 
Guinea-Bissau's legislative texts rel ating to trade and investment, 2012  
Legislation Field 
WAEMU Customs Code Customs Code 
WAEMU customs tariff Tariff 
Decree No. 19/2011 of 3 May 2011 Regulates the production a nd export of raw cashew nuts;  establishment of a 
development fund Decree No. 3/2005 of 16 April 2005 
Decree-Law No. 01/2005  
Decree No. 0017/GMCI/2009 of 21 May 2009 Mandato ry weighing of cashew nuts at exportation 
Decree No. 4/99 of 18 August 1999 Concerning plant quarantine 
.. National Shippers Council ( Conselho nacional de carregadores da Guiné-Bissau ) 
.. Import minimum values 
.. Import reference values 
Opinion by the State Secretariat for Transport Cargo tracking note 
.. Fees ( emolumentos pessoais ) for customs services rendered 
.. Advance payment of industrial profits tax ( Adiantamento da contribuição industrial ) 
.. Transhipment tax ( Taxa de baldeaçao ) 
.. Transit tax (2%) 
Instruction No. 31/GDGA/2011 of 12/9/2011 Excise duties on imports 
Decree No. 6/2000 of 22 August 2000 Con cerning quality controls on foodstuffs 
OHADA Uniform Acts OHADA legislation 
Decree-Law No. 1/2005 of 16/4/2005 Single Window ( Centro de formalisação de empresas ) 
Law No. 13/2011 Investment Code 
.. Government proc urement legislation 
.. Not available. 
Source : WTO Secretariat, on the basis of information provided by the authorities. 
30. In principle, the Ministry of Trade tak es the leading role in the development and 
administration of Guinea-Bissau's trade policy.  R ecently the Ministry has participated in a few 
reforms aimed at facilitating trade (abolition of certa in permits, see Chapter III) but overall, foreign 
trade is still heavily taxed at both importation and exportation.  The main reforms introduced recently 
appear to have emanated essentially from the Ministry responsible for the economy (reform of 
legislation on foreign investment, strengthe ning of the Chamber of Commerce, etc.). 
31. The private sector is involved in the formulation of trade policy on an ad hoc basis;  the main 
bodies consulted are the Chamber of Commerce, Indu stry, Agriculture and Services (CCIAS) and the 
National Association of Guinean Cashew Nut Producers (ANAG).  As can be seen from Table II.1, 
the main laws pertaining to international trade have  been implemented by decree or by decree-law of 
the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, or the Minister of the Economy and Finance;  the latter can change rates and suspend or restore all or pa rt of the duties and taxes stipulated in the tariff. 
 By way of example, the recent surcharge on cashew nut exports was introduced by decree. 
(3) T
RADE AGREEMENTS  
32. Guinea-Bissau, like the other WAEMU memb ers, participates in several trade 
agreements (common report, Chapter II(4)).  Along with Gambia, Guinea and Senegal, it also belongs 
to the Gambia River Basin Development Organi sation (OMVG), which implements integrated 
development programmes in the four member count ries, focusing on the rational and harmonious use 
of common resources of the Gambia, Kayanga-Géba and Koliba-Corubal river basins. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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  (4) FOREIGN INVESTMENT REGIME  
33. A new draft Investment Code approved by the Government in April 2011, and also 
promulgated in the same year12, replaces a 2009 code of which the Secretariat was unable to obtain a 
copy, and a law of 1991.  Overall, forei gn investment has not  increased since 1991.13  T h e  n e w  
Investment Code, which acknowledges this fact in  its preamble, is intended to provide a more 
dependable and stimulating legal framework whic h makes no distinction between domestic and 
foreign investors, simplifies the administrative pr ocedures and lays down transparent rules for the 
granting of privileges and benefits.  As the preamb le also points out, the tax credit regime did not 
prove to be an effective instrument for attracting in vestors.  This regime was apparently less generous 
in Guinea-Bissau's legislation than in that of the other WAEMU countries or in the draft common 
Investment Code currently under discussion in WAEMU.   Consequently, the new Code is intended to 
be more akin to the latest version of the dr aft WAEMU Code.  Fiscal privileges granted under the 
previous legislation remain in place. 
34. The new Code applies to all economic activities,  whether they involve production, marketing 
or the provision of services, by natural or legal pe rsons, in every sector of the economy (Article 1).  
All direct and portfolio investments in the creati on, modernization or expa nsion of economic activity 
are covered.  Foreign investment is defined as an investment made using resources from another 
country.  The new Code guarantees the right to privat e initiative (Article 4), as well as the protection 
of assets against, in particular, expropriation (Article 4).  It requires compliance with the SYSCOA/SYSCOHADA accounting system, although the la tter is not currently being applied, and 
with treaties signed by Guinea-Bissau (Article 5).  All investors must receive the same treatment 
irrespective of their nationality.  The freedom to tran sfer capital, profits and dividends is guaranteed, 
as is the freedom to exchange currency (Article  7).  The State undertakes to safeguard economic 
freedom and combat anti-competitive practices (Article 9). 
35. According to Article 10, four types of incentiv es may be offered:  incentives conditional upon 
making the investment;  incentives to strengthen the company, granted for the first seven years of 
operation;  incentives to provide vocational training;  and incentives to invest in economic or social 
infrastructures for public use.  Applications for these incentives are subject to a minimum amount of 
US$34,000.  If a reply is not received from the compet ent authority within 15 days, the application, 
together with the incentives applied for, shall be deemed to have been accepted. 
36. As regards fiscal incentives during the invest ment phase (Article 13), exemption from the 
common external tariff (CET) for imports of cap ital goods required for the investment may be 
granted, but may not exceed 15 per cent of the va lue of the goods for which exemption has been 
requested.  Likewise, the maximum exemption from the general sales tax (IGV) normally payable on the purchase of capital goods is 15 per cent of the va lue of the goods concerned.   There are, however, 
no exemptions from the community levy (PC), the comm unity solidarity levy (PCS), the statistical fee 
or the contributions payable to international organizations.  These investment phase incentives in the 
"common" regime (the first reference to which appear s in Article 13) are subject to a three-year limit. 
37. Fiscal incentives during the operational phase take the form of degressive reductions in the 
rate of the industrial profits tax (contribuição industr ial) for a maximum of seven years.  Only recently 
created companies producing goods and services, with the exception of financial services establishments, are eligible for th ese incentives.  The tax reductions are:  100 per cent in the first and 
                                                      
12 Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Investment Code, Law No. 13/2011. 
13 Investment Code, Decree-Law No. 03/2009 , 31 December 2009 .  Viewed at:  
http://mepirgb-gov.org/DGPIP/Codigo_de_Investimento.pdf WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 202 
  
  second years of activity;  90 per cent in the third;  80 per cent in the fourth;  60 per cent in the fifth;  
40 per cent in the sixth;  and 20 per cent in the seventh fiscal year. 
38. In order to encourage vocational training, the Code also allows double the amount spent on 
specialist training courses in Guinea-Bissau or abro ad to be deducted from the industrial profits 
tax (contribuição industrial) payable (Article 15). 
39. In order to promote projects in locations outsi de the Bissau region (Article 16), investors in 
such locations can deduct from their taxes expend iture on building materials for the creation of 
infrastructures (roads, ports, airports, hospitals) for public use.  This deduction can be made in the 
year when the infrastructure is built, and if necessary in the following three years. 
40. Excluded from these general provisions are mining exploration, oil exploration and forestry 
exploration activities, as well as investments in free zones or free points under specific provisions 
contained in an investment contract or agreement (Article 2.2).  However, according to the authorities 
Guinea-Bissau currently has no free zones or free points, or any related legislation. 
41. An investment contract or agreement is defi ned as an instrument in which the Government 
and the investor each assume obligations in respect of  an investment project.  Investments deemed to 
be of major national interest and amounting to  more than US$80 million may benefit from other 
incentives granted by the Council of Ministers through an  investment contract.  This appears to mean 
that any sizeable investor may be offered special conditions by the Government - a procedure which 
reduces the transparency of the regime and could affect competition.  However, these contracts and 
agreements must be published in the Official Journa l, and the benefits granted must be recorded as 
State expenditure (Article 10). 
42. The Investment Promotion Agency - Guinea-Bi ssau Investments (API-GBI), also known as 
the Directorate-General for the Promotion of Priv ate Investment, is a public body established by 
decree in 1991 and operating under the authority of  MEPIR - the Ministry responsible for the 
economy.  Where investment is concerned, API provides the interface between the Government and 
the private sector.  This body, which the WTO Secr etariat was not able to meet, is administratively 
and financially autonomous;  its purpose is to promote private investment in Guinea-Bissau. 
43. Since 2006, Guinea-Bissau has b een a member of the World Bank's Multilateral Investment 
Guarantee Agency (MIGA), which enables eligible foreign compan ies to receive MIGA's guarantee 
coverage for their investments in Guinea-Bissau.  Th is provides protection against the risks of transfer 
restriction, expropriation, breach of contract, a nd losses caused by war or civil disturbance.  
Membership also makes Guinea-Bissau eligible fo r MIGA's technical assistance to help it attract 
foreign investment.  In 2011, two proj ects were covered by MIGA guarantees.14  Guinea-Bissau has 
also been a signatory to the International Cent re for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) 
Convention since 1991, but has never depos ited its instruments of ratification. 
(5) BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT  
44. The improvement of Guinea-Bissau's business envir onment is an integral part of its Poverty 
Reduction Strategy Paper.  The Chamber of Comme rce, Industry, Agriculture and Services (CCIAS) 
represents the whole of Guinea-Bissau's private sect or.  Since 2009 the CCIAS  has been working to 
                                                      
14 Viewed at:  http://www.miga.org/projects/advs earchresults.cfm ?srch=s&hctry=90c&hcountrycode 
=GW Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 203 
 
 
  attract foreign investors for the development of agriculture, fisheries and tourism, as well as for 
infrastructure projects such as new port areas. 
45. According to the indicators in the World Ba nk Doing Business reports, which analyse the 
regulations applicable to companies and investors,  Guinea-Bissau is one of the very lowest-ranked 
countries:  173rd out of 175 in 2005-2 006 (2007 report) and 183rd out of 186 
in 2009-2010 (2011 report).  The worst results ar e for electricity supply and registering property.15  
However there have been improvements since 2009,  and these are reflected in a higher ranking for 
Guinea-Bissau in the 2012 report (149th out of 183).  These improvements are in two areas:  starting a business and obtaining credit.  In particular, the nu mber of days needed to set up a company appears 
to have dropped from 216 to nine.  This is the result of efforts by the Business Formalization 
Centre (CFE), established with the support of the CCIAS, which acts as a Single Window for investment (especially foreign investment) in Guinea-Bissau. 
                                                      
15 World Bank (2007, 2011 and 2012). WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 204 
  
  III. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 
(1) MEASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING IMPORTS  
(i) Registration 
46. Any economic operator wishing to engage in a commercial activity, including foreign trade, 
must obtain a licence ( alvara ) from the Ministry responsible for tr ade.  Licences are valid for a period 
of five years, indefinitely renewable;  their cost  depends on the nature of the activity, as follows:  
wholesale trade (CFAF 53,380);  import/export (CFAF 53,384);  and commercial agents 
(CFAF 20,769).16  The application must include the follow ing attachments:  two photos;  a photocopy 
of the identity document;  certificate of enrolment in the commercial register17;  and the tax 
identification number.  Moreover, foreign nationals  must produce their foreign resident's card, 
obtainable from the Directorate-General of Immi gration for CFAF 17,500.  According to the 
authorities, foreign nationals are not excluded from any activity. 
47. Up until May 2011, imports and exports for commercial purposes, including intra-community 
trade, were subject to the preliminary authorization ( boletim de registro prévio  (BRP)) of the Ministry 
responsible for trade;  this general requirement h as been replaced by a written statement made by the 
economic operators.18  However, the BRP continues to appl y in the following cases:  exports of 
cashew nuts and wood;  and imports of pharmaceu tical products and hydrocarbons.  The documents 
that must be produced in support of the BRP are:  evidence of bank domiciliation;  a foreign trade 
licence ( alvara );  and a copy of the final invoice.19  Issued, in principle, au tomatically if the applicant 
is duly registered, the BRP contains information c oncerning the quantity and value of the goods and is 
valid for six months. 
48. Some administrative procedures relating to comm ercial activities could be carried out at a 
Single Window ( Centro de forma lisação de empresas ) introduced in 2005.20  However, the BRP is the 
exclusive responsibility of the Ministry of Trade. 
49. Since 25 October 2011, goods im ported or exported through Gu inea-Bissau's seaports have 
had to be accompanied by a cargo tracking note (B SC), whatever the origin/destination or customs 
procedure applicable21;  an identical system is reportedly in process of being introduced at 
Bissau airport.  This document is not required by customs for clearance purposes, but without it the goods might not be allowed to leave the port.  BSCs are administered by the company Antaser Afrique, which collects fees (per BSC) in accordance with the following tariff:  a fixed 
amount (service fee, €35) plus a variable component th at depends on the origin and mode of shipment 
of the goods (Table III.1).  The BSC is made out at  the port of loading and validated by the local 
representative of the Guinea-Bissau Shippers Council ( Conselho nacional de carregadores da 
                                                      
16 The "retail trade" component (cost:  CFAF 23,077) was abolished in 2011;  instead of applying for a 
licence, economic operators must now declare to the Directorate-General of Taxation that they are engaged in 
this activity. 
17 The enrolment fees vary with the type of economic operator;  for companies they may amount to 
CFAF 46,390 ( Centro de formalisação de empresas, Guia de criaçao de empresa na Guiné-Bissau ). 
18 Decree-Law No. 8/2011 of 10 May 2011. 
19 BRP application forms (cost:  CFAF 15,000) can be obtained from the Chamber of Commerce, 
Industry and Agriculture. 
20 Decree-Law No. 1/2005 of 16 April 2005. 
21 State Secretariat for Transport and Communications , Notice to shippers, ship-owners and shipping 
agents of 8 August 2011. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
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  Guiné-Bissau  (CNC-GB));  for BSCs made out at the port of destination the relevant fees are 
doubled.22 
Table III.1 
Variable component of the BSC tariff, 2011 
Mode of shipment Description 
Container €50 per 20-foot equi valent container;  €100 per 40-foot equivalent container (from Europe or Africa)a 
 €75 per 20-foot equivalent  container;  €125 per 40-f oot equivalent container (from any other origin)a 
Rolling stock  €50 per vehicle (unit weight < 5 tonnes) ;  €100 per vehicle (unit weight >= 5 tonnes) (from Europe or Africa) 
 €75 per vehicle (unit weight < 5 tonne s);  €125 per vehicle (unit weight >=  5 tonnes) (from any other origin) 
Consolidated €5 per m3 (with a minimum of €50 per BSC) (all origins) 
Conventional/bulk €5 per m3 (with a minimum of €50 per BSC)a (all origins) 
a The rate applied is €5 per tonne for cashew nuts and aluminium,  and €2 per tonne for bauxite, whatever the origin/destination . 
Source : State Secretariat for Transport and Communications, No tice to shippers, ship-owners and shipping agents of 
8 August 2011. 
50. In conformity with WAEMU rules, a custom s declaration is required for goods under any 
customs procedure, at both importation and exporta tion;  exemption from import duties and taxes does 
not release the goods from this obligation.  The doc uments required for customs procedures are:  
licence to engage in foreign trade;  bill of ladi ng;  purchase invoice;  freight invoice;  insurance 
certificate;  export declaration made out in the count ry of origin;  and, where appropriate, certificate 
of origin, phytosanitary certificate or BRP. 
51. The detailed declaration is lodged either by an approved customs clearing agent (or 
forwarding agent) or directly by the importer, if authorized to clear goods on his own account.  In both cases, the Directorate-General of Customs requires the economic operator to be established (company and office) in Guinea-Bissau and to have lodged a CFAF 25,000,000 deposit.
23  Customs 
clearing agents are allocated a specific geogra phical area in which to operate, depending on the 
preference expressed in their application for appr oval.  In practice, the association of approved 
clearing agents may offer its advice for geographical allocation purposes;  the association also fixes a 
reference price scale for services which, however, the clearing agents are not under any strict 
obligation to apply.  In 2011, there were 59 appr oved customs clearing agents, only three of whom 
were not allocated to Bissau;  three companies we re authorized to lodge declarations on their own 
account. 
(ii) Customs procedures 
52. Guinea-Bissau is experiencing difficulty in appl ying customs controls, particularly in the 
island part of the national territory and at the land borders.  The Directorate-General of Customs lacks 
a vessel or other technical means of effectively carrying out surveillance of the numerous islands.  
Other constraints on the effectiveness of its activities include the lack of a system of communication, 
both internally and with the other departments and intermediaries involved in foreign trade, and the 
difficulties of recording trade flows through non-computerized customs posts.24  Illicit traffic is still 
widespread. 
                                                      
22 However, the Antaser Afrique site notes that regular ization at the port of destination is not allowed.  
Viewed at:  http://antaser.com/procedures.jsp. 
23 There are no limits on the duration of authoriza tions and approvals but they may be withdrawn if 
there is an infringement. 
24 World Bank (2010). WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 206 
  
  53. Since 1993, customs clearance procedures have, in principle, been automated on the basis of 
the ASYCUDA system;  a switch to the versi on ASYCUDA++ was begun in September 2011.  In 
February 2012, ASYCUDA++ was operating in cu stoms posts handling more than 80 per cent of 
declarations at the national customs cordon.  Howe ver, the system server does not accept declarations 
outside the customs administration's office hours and its operations also appear to be frequently 
interrupted by power cuts.  In parallel with the switch to ASYCUDA++, Guin ea-Bissau is introducing 
a risk management mechanism into the declaration processing chain;  however, this mechanism is not 
yet operational. 
54. The national customs regulations do not provide for the lodging of a simplified customs 
declaration.  Moreover, the WAEMU provisions concerning clearance credit are not applied;  if 
authorized by the Finance Minister, permission to remove goods may be obtained by depositing an 
estimated amount, subject to a subse quent refund or additional payment. 
55. In its Doing Business  2012  report, the World Bank estimates the average time required for 
customs clearance and technical control at three an d two days for imports and exports, respectively;  
handling at the point of entry for imports (e xit for exports) adds a further five days.25  Moreover, 
several recent studies note the inefficiency of the por t of Bissau and its low level of competitiveness, 
in terms of both accessibility and costs.26 
(iii) Preshipment inspection and customs valuation 
56. Guinea-Bissau has not notified the WTO of its legislation and administrative procedures 
relating to preshipment inspection.  According to  the authorities, there is no programme for the 
systematic examination of imports, before shipment or  at destination;  clearance is not subject to the 
production of an examination certificate.  However,  there are mandatory controls on exports of raw 
cashew nuts (section (2)(i)). 
57. Guinea-Bissau is supposed to apply the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation, as 
incorporated in the corresponding WAEMU regul ations (common report, Chapter III(2)(i)).  
However, in practice, the application of the Agre ement presents difficulties.  Despite the technical 
support which the WAEMU Commission offers27 Member States to help them comply with their 
WTO notification commitments, Guinea-Bissau has not  provided any clarifications in this respect. 
58. Guinea-Bissau continues to make use of mini mum values to combat underinvoicing;  these 
are reviewed quarterly.  The list of imports c oncerned comprises some 107 tariff lines and is not 
harmonized with the system of reference valu es for which the WAEMU regulations provide.  
Moreover, with a view to making certain imports (17 tariff lines including rice, flour, sugar, fuel and 
butane gas) accessible to consumers, Guinea-Bissau has opted to reduce their customs value by using 
reference prices set below international levels.28  The social objectives which this practice aims to 
achieve would benefit from more precise targeting.  Indeed, the authorities have noted that importers 
tend not to reflect the reduction in customs duties in the consumer selling price;  certain amounts of 
rice subsidized in this way have also been re-exported to Senegal. 
                                                      
25 World Bank (2012). 
26 World Bank (2010).  CESO CI - Consultores Internacionais (2008). 
27 Directive No. 03/2002/CM/UEMOA of 23 May 2002. 
28 These reduced prices are established annually when the national budget is being drawn up. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 207 
 
 
  (iv) Rules of origin 
59. The WAEMU rules of origin, adopted almost in their entirety by ECOWAS, are, in principle, 
applied nationally in Guinea-Bissau (comm on report, Chapter III(2)(iii)).  However, no 
Guinea-Bissau enterprise or product has been a pproved since the two preferential schemes were 
introduced.  According to the authorities, this is du e to industrial weakness ra ther than to delay in 
setting up the National Approval Committee created in 2010. 
60. Guinea-Bissau has not made any notificati on to the WTO concerning preferential or 
non-preferential rules of origin. 
(v) Customs levies 
(a) Overview 
61. In Guinea-Bissau, international tr ade remains the main source of fiscal revenue (Table III.2).  
According to the available statistics, duties and taxes collected at the cu stoms cordon accounted for 
more than 50 per cent of fiscal revenue over the period 2006-2008 and in 2011.  Excise duty 
collection relies chiefly on imports, despite the fact th at some eligible products (in particular, beer) are 
manufactured locally. 
Table III.2 
Fiscal revenue by main source, 2006-2011 
(per cent) 
Item 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
Direct taxes 31.0 25.1 28.6 .. .. 29.5 
Indirect taxes 69.0 74.9 71.4 .. .. 70.5 
Customs duties 22.3 22.4 20.2 .. .. 17.3 
Tax ( imposto extraordinario ) on cashew nut exports   8.0 10.1   6.5 .. .. 8.4 
Excise duties   6.5   7.1   8.0 .. .. 5.6 
 on imports   6.5   7.1   8.0 .. .. 5.6 
 on local sales   0.0   0.0   0.0 .. .. 0.0 
General sales tax (IGV)  26.4 27.3 30.0 .. .. 32.5 
 on imports 19.2 17.2 18.9 .. .. 19.7 
 on local sales   7.3 10.0 11.1 .. .. 12.8 
.. Not available. 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data supplied by the authorities. 
62. In principle, Guinea-Bissau applies the WA EMU CET and other community duties and taxes 
(common report, Chapter III(2)(ii)(a) and (b));  imports of products originating from the 
WAEMU/ECOWEAS area benefit from a community preference (zero rate).  However, the customs duties on premium petrol (tariff items HS 2710.1140 and HS 2710.1150) remain at 15 per cent, as 
compared with the 10 per cent stipulated in the CET.  Guinea-Bissau also made some departures from 
the CET (not agreed with WAEMU);  these concerne d 14 products and remained in force during the 
period 2006-2010.  The authorities say that they have never made use of the special import tax or the 
degressive protection tax. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 208 
  
  63. Moreover, goods crossing the customs cordon are subject to the payment of personal 
(emolumentos pessoais ) and travel fees ( deslocações ) for customs services rendered.  For imports, 
these fees are calculated on the basis of the c.i.f.  value, the cumulative rate depending on the goods 
concerned and not exceeding 1.5 per cent.29  The sums that economic operators are required to pay in 
connection with these ad valorem  levies seem difficult to reconcile with the actual cost of the services 
rendered. 
64. Moreover, fuel imports are subject to a levy of 4 per cent of the c.i.f. value, with part of the 
revenue being set aside for a road fund.  The ac tivities of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and 
Agriculture are said to be financed, among other things, by levies on rice and cement imports at the 
rate of CFAF 1 per kg.30 
(b) Bindings 
65. Guinea-Bissau has bound 96.1 per cent of its ta riff lines (common report, Table III.1).  The 
tariffs applicable to all agricultura l products have been bound at the single rate of 40 per cent.  Where 
non-agricultural products (including petroleum products ) are concerned, a ceiling rate of 50 per cent is 
imposed on 4,442 tariff lines;  some 214 lines have not been bound.  The implementation of the 
WAEMU CET in Guinea-Bissau has not given rise to an y situation inconsistent with its commitments 
within the WTO. 
66. Guinea-Bissau has bound other duties and taxes at  25 per cent for most agricultural products 
(WTO definition).  A ceiling rate of 50 per cent has been set for Chapter 22 products, as well as for most non-agricultural products, with the exception of  products of Chapter 36 for which the ceiling is 
set at 80 per cent. 
(c) Internal taxes 
67. Guinea-Bissau applies a general sales tax (IGV) at the rate of 15 per cent, although some 
products (rice, wheat flour, fuels, pharmaceutical pr oducts, prostheses and wheelchairs) are subject to 
a 10 per cent rate.  The Guinea-Bissau system provi des for several exemptions, in particular for 
certain imports
31 and all exports.  The IGV levied at the customs cordon is calculated on the basis of 
the c.i.f. value plus import duties and levies and,  where appropriate, excise duties.  For sales on the 
domestic market, the tax base is the transaction valu e.  As distinct from value added tax (VAT), the 
IGV poses the problem of cascade taxation.  Despite  the transposition time limits stipulated in the 
WAEMU VAT directives32, the community regime is not ye t being applied in Guinea-Bissau. 
68. Some products are also subject to excise duty wh en released for consumption (Table III.3).  In 
principle, these duties are applied uniformly to both imported and locally manufactured products.  
However, the fiscal revenue statistics do not indicat e any levy on local production (Table III.2).  In 
September 2011, the WAEMU and ECOWAS community levies were integrated in the tax base for 
excise duties at importation33;  in this way Guinea-Bissau trans posed a community provision dating 
from 1998.34  However, the Guinea-Bissau system is in consistent with the WAEMU directives as 
                                                      
29 For some goods, the fees may be specific amounts (for example, CFAF 2,500 on vehicles). 
30 World Bank (2010). 
31 Law No. 2/95 of 24 May 1995 and Law No. 16/97 of 31 March 1998. 
32 Directive No. 2/98/CM/UEMOA, as revised by Directive No. 02/2009/CM/UEMOA. 
33 Directorate-General of Customs.  Service Order No. 31/GDGA/2011 of 12 September 2011. 
34 Directive No. 03/98/CM/UEMOA of 22 December 1998. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 209 
 
 
  regards the rates applied to unmanufactured tob acco and motor cars;  furthermore, hydrocarbons 
remain subject to ad valorem  duties. 
Table III.3 
Excise duties ( imposto especial de consumo ), 2011 
Description Rate (per cent) 
Beverages, non-alcoholic (except for water) 10 
Beer, table wine 25 
Sparkling wine, vermouth 35 
Spirits 40 
Tobacco, unmanufactured 10 
Cigarettes 25 
Perfumes and cosmetic products 15 
Petrol (tariff headings 2710.1140 and 2710.1150) 10 
Diesel (tariff heading 2710.192100.1) 5 
Vehicles for the transport of up to 9 persons 20 
Arms and ammunition 40 
Source:  Directorate-General of Customs. 
69. Guinea-Bissau applies a mechanism for imposing a fixed levy in the form of an advance 
payment on industrial and commercial profits tax ( adiantamento da contribuição industrial  (ACI)).  
The advance payment rate is set at 3 per cent for imports, including those of WAEMU origin. 
(d) Duty and tax concessions 
70. Guinea-Bissau grants duty and tax reductions and exemptions within the context of the 
Investment Code (Chapter II(4)).  Some of these measures are reserved for export activities and for 
activities that lead to import substitution (section (2 )(iv)).  Exemptions from customs duties and other 
duties and taxes also apply to goods imported by  State authorities, public entities (discretionary 
authorization), non-governmental organizations a nd diplomatic missions.  The authorities are in 
process of reviewing all the various concessions gran ted at the customs cordon within the framework 
of their cooperation with the IMF. 
71. In 2008, faced with the global food crisis, Guinea-Bissau suspended the collection of duties 
and taxes on certain fast-moving consumer produc ts, imported or locally produced;  the customs 
duties on hydrocarbons were reduced.  Reliable estimate s of the fiscal revenue lost as a result of these 
measures are not available. 
(vi) Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licensing 
72. Apart from the registration formalities applicable to all foreign trade activities (section (1)(i)), 
control measures are applied, in principle, to im ports of certain products for security reasons, to 
protect public health and morality or because of th eir strategic nature (Table III.4).  However, 
according to the authorities, numerous controls for which the existing legislation provides, in 
particular on animal and plant produc ts, are not actually being applied. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 210 
  
  Table III.4 
Import controls, 2011 
Product Document required Description 
Animals and animal products Prior au thorization of the Ministry of 
Agriculture (veter inary service);  
sanitary certificate of the country of 
origin or last export Clearance subject to the intervention of a 
veterinary/sanitary expert to certify the 
quality and state of preservation of the 
goods and/or to validate the sanitary certificate issued by the country of origin 
or last export 
Olive oil and its fractions Qua lity certificate issued in the 
country of origin or last export Failing a certificate, the importer must 
obtain authorization from the National 
Food Council 
Phytopharmaceutical products of 
tariff heading 38.08 Prior authorization of the Ministry of 
Agriculture (plant protection service) Provision for numerous exemptions 
depending on the active principle of the 
product imported 
Arms and ammunition Prior authorization of the Ministry of 
the Interior (Administrative Police 
Command) Clearance subject to the intervention of an 
expert from the Administrative Police 
Command 
Pharmaceutical products (tariff headings 2935.0000 
to 2941.9000;  001.0000 to 3006.6000);  medical 
appliances (tariff headings 9022.1100 to 
9022.9000);  coca and cannabis leaves;  cannabis resin and oil  Prior authorization of the Ministry of 
Health  
Source : Directorate-General of Customs.  
73. There are import prohibitions on the following:  alcoholic beverages with an alcoholic 
strength of more than 60 degrees;  distilled beverages containing noxious essences or chemicals 
(absinthe, benzoic aldehyde, salicylic esters, hyssop, etc.);  drugs and narcotics;  terne plate packaging 
containing products other than mine ral oils;  medicines and foods harmful to health;  counterfeit 
products;  foodstuffs containing saccharin;  and animal s, animal products, plants and plant material 
from infected areas. 
(vii) Standards, technical regulations and accreditation procedures 
74. Guinea-Bissau lacks a national regulatory framework for standardization and quality 
management;  no notification has been made to the WTO in this respect.  Some  basic standards for the 
harvesting, drying and packaging of cashew nuts were introduced by Decree-Law No. 01/2001 of 
18 April 2001.  The Directorate of Standa rdization and Quality Promotion Services ( Direcçao de 
serviços de normalização e promoção da qualidade  (DSNPQ)) is the national enquiry point for 
technical barriers to trade. 
(viii) Sanitary and phytosanitary measures 
75. Guinea-Bissau is experiencing difficulties with sanitary and phytosanitary protection, at both 
legislative and institutional levels and at the leve l of human and material resources.  No measure 
(ordinary or emergency) has been notified to th e WTO SPS Committee;  the country does not have an 
operational SPS enquiry point.  The lack of an  operational SPS system and the inadequate 
infrastructure are two of the main constraints on the development of Guinea-Bissau's trade. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 211 
 
 
  76. According to the authorities, the control m echanisms for which the existing legislation 
provides are not functioning;  for lack of human a nd financial resources, inspections of imports and 
exports are infrequent and mostly carried out at the port and airport of Bissau.35  At present, the 
country has no operational analytical laboratory;  the establishment of national reference laboratories 
is recognized as being one of the priority needs who se satisfaction would make it possible to solve the 
problems of confidence and dependence on analyses pe rformed abroad.  The laxity of the controls 
carried out at the land borders is believed to be  undermining institutional trust and discouraging the 
pursuit of synergies between technical services. 
77. Furthermore, the Guinea-Bissau institutions invol ved in sanitary and phytosanitary protection 
(Table III.5) have several overlapping responsibilities;   the effectiveness of their operations could be 
improved by introducing an integrat ed coordination mechanism.  The national legal framework also 
needs updating, in particular in order to take account of Guinea-Bissau's international and regional 
commitments in this area.  Aware of these shortcom ings, the authorities have undertaken to establish a 
national SPS Committee, for the purpose of ensuring coordination among the various services, the updating of the regulatory framework, and management of the inspection and risk analysis resources. 
Table III.5 
Services involved in SPS protection, 2011 
Service Functions 
Ministry of Trade:  
Commercial Inspection Service Receives samples before the arri val of the goods and helps importers with the formalities to 
be completed;  if necessary, calls on speciali zed technical services for in-depth controls on 
products intended for human and animal consumption. 
National Institute for Applied Technical 
Research Applied research, including for the purpos e of improving agro-industrial products.  
Centre for Cashew Nut Promotion Offers training courses on the processing of cashew nut pr oducts, in compliance with the 
appropriate health standards. 
Ministry of Agriculture:  
National Institute for Agricultural Research Responsible for testing, producing and distributing seeds and for helping farmers to use 
pesticides to protect plants and agricultural products.  
Veterinary Service Responsible for in specting meat and animals in transit, as well as imported animal products;
liaises with the World Organisation for Animal Health. 
Livestock Service Responsible for supervising abattoirs and for parasite analyses and microscopy.  
Plant Protection Service Responsible for plant protection, bu t lacks the means to carry out controls;  serves as the 
office for liaison with the International Plant Protection Convention. 
Forest Service Responsible for the control and certif ication of wood and forest  products, including fruits 
and wild animals. 
National Pesticide Management 
Committee Responsible for the regulation and control of pe sticides, within the framework established at 
the level of the Permanent Inter-State Comm ittee for Drought Control in the Sahel.  The 
Committee is not yet operational. 
Ministry of Health:  
National Institute of Health Serves as the national reference laboratory for problems relating to human health. 
Ministry of the Environment Inte rvenes in cases of po llution-related infection or contamination. 
Secretariat-General of Fisheries:  
Applied Fishery Research Centre Responsible for setting up a laboratory for ce rtifying fishery products. 
                                                      
35 However, it should be noted that there are no cold storage facilities at Bissau airport, while the port 
infrastructure is aging and overexploited. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 212 
  
  Service Functions 
National Codex Alimentarius Committee Estab lished in 2007 (under the Ministries of Health and Agriculture);  responsible for 
drafting national standards and representing the country on the Codex Commission.  The 
Committee supervises the work of five sub-co mmittees (fishing and fish, labelling, pesticide 
residues, veterinary medicine s, and fruit and vegetables). 
Source : Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), Strengthening SPS capacity in Guinea-Bissau (2010). 
(ix) Packaging, marking and labelling requirements 
78. According to the authorities, Guinea-Bissau h as no specific packaging, marking and labelling 
regulations. 
(x) Contingency measures 
79. Guinea-Bissau has no national legislation on anti-dumping, countervailing or safeguard 
measures;  the relevant WAEMU provisions (co mmon report, Chapter III(2)) are, in principle, 
applicable in Guinea-Bissau.  A ccording to the authorities, Guinea- Bissau has never taken any of 
these measures. 
(xi) Other measures 
80. Guinea-Bissau applies the trade sanctions decided upon within the context of the 
United Nations Organization or the regi onal bodies in which it participates. 
(2) MEASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING IMPORTS  
(i) Registration and customs procedures 
81. Apart from the licence ( alvara ) to engage in foreign trade (section (1)(i)), a special licence, 
issued for the current season only, is needed to export cashew nuts;  decisions on applications are 
always taken within five working days.  The fees for issuing these licences, co llected by the Ministry 
of Finance, vary with the activity requested:  exporters pay CFAF 500,000 and intermediaries 
CFAF 50,000. 
(ii) Export duties and taxes 
82. Like imports (section (1)(v)(a)), goods exported, re-exported or in transit are liable to the 
payment of fees for customs services rendered;  depending on the goods, these fees are applied either at an ad valorem  rate (not more than 1 per cent of the f.o.b. value) or at a specific rate. 
83. Moreover, exports of some agricultural and animal products are subject to an  ad valorem  rural 
contribution tax ( contribuição predial rústica ), at a rate which varies with the product (Table III.6).  
Cashew nut exports are also subject to:  an "ext raordinary" 6 per cent tax, and the advance payment 
on industrial and commercial profits tax (section (1)(v)(c))
36;  in all three cases, the tax base is 
calculated in accordance with a notional price set by the State solely for the purpose of levying the tax 
(Chapter IV(1)(ii)).  Thus, the amount levied remains independent of the transaction value at 
exportation. 
                                                      
36 In 2011, the advance payment rate levied on cashew nut exports was increased from 0.6 per cent 
to 3 per cent. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 213 
 
 
  Table III.6 
Contribuição predial rústica , 2011 
Description Rate 
Rubber  0.5 
Groundnuts (in shell or shelled), rice, coconuts, cas hew nuts, wood (in logs or sawn), palm oil 1 
Leather, skins (of crocodile, otter and othe r wild animals), other natural products 2 
Source : Directorate-General of Customs. 
84. A portion of the revenue from the collection of duties and taxes on cashew nut exports at the 
customs cordon is, in principle, used to finan ce research, marketing and processing activities in the 
cashew nut subsector.37  A private-sector contribution, fixed at  CFAF 50 per kilogram of cashew nuts 
exported, is also collected for the same purposes.38  Moreover, cashew nut exports are also subject to a 
levy (1.5 CFAF/kg) for the benefit of the Cham ber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.  The 
exporters very likely reflect the financial impact of these levies in the prices paid to the producers, 
given the latter's lack of bargaining power. 
(iii) Goods in transit 
85. Despite its favourable geographical location, Gu inea-Bissau has failed to take advantage of 
the international transit trade and its potential as a source of income.  Indeed, the progressive 
deterioration of the infrastructure in the port of Bissa u could deprive the country of its direct access to 
international maritime trade. 
86. Goods in transit are subject to a tax levied at the rate of 2 per cent of the c.i.f. value;  customs 
escort charges would also appear to be applied.  According to the authorities, the transit procedure 
does not provide for the lodging of security. 
(iv) Export prohibitions and controls 
87. All cashew nut exports must be accompanied by a certificate of origin, issued by the Ministry 
responsible for trade;  the relevant tax is fixed at  CFAF 10,000.  Cashew nut exports are also subject 
to weight controls;  the weighing is done by pr ivate companies, in the presence of customs and 
Ministry of Trade officials.  Moreover, cashew nuts may only be exported by sea, through the port of 
Bissau.  However, in practice, substantial qua ntities are exported informally to neighbouring 
countries.  Since 2010, in an attempt to minimize these exports by land, the Ministry of Trade has been deploying officers to all the borde r posts for the duration of the crop season.
39 
(v) Export subsidies and promotion 
88. Guinea-Bissau has not established any free z ones.  According to the authorities, no 
advantages are accorded to Guin ea-Bissau enterprises on the basi s of their export performance. 
                                                      
37 Decree No. 3/2005 of 26 April 2005. 
38 Decree No. 19/2011 of 3 May 2011. 
39 Online information.  Viewed  at:  http://www.fundei.net/inde x.php?option=com_costent&view= 
article&id=58:campanha-de-comercializacao-da-cas tanha-de-caju-20092010- &catid=34:noticias. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 214 
  
  (3) MEASURES AFFECTING PRODUCTION AND TRADE  
(i) Incentives 
89. Guinea-Bissau grants certain tax concessions  under the Investment Code (Chapter II). 
(ii) Competition and price control regime 
90. Apart from the relevant WAEMU regulations, whose provisions are, in principle, directly 
applicable in all the Member St ates, Guinea-Bissau does not have a national competition regime.  For 
lack of financial resources, there are no plans to take  any priority action in this respect at legislative 
level in the near future.  The Ministry responsible for trade, through its Directorate-General of Trade 
and Competition, is charged with defining, coordinating and implemen ting the Government's 
competition and price control policy.  According to the authorities, no complaint of unfair competition 
has been lodged with the Ministry of Trade during the last six years. 
91. Some products placed on the domestic market are subject to price controls.  Maximum profit 
margins are imposed on pharmaceutical products40, while for fuels the regulations stipulate maximum 
prices.41  Moreover, the price of rice released for cons umption on the domestic market is fixed by the 
Government, in consultation with the importers, a nd is the same throughout the national territory.  
The formula used for fixing the retail price takes into account the average c. i.f. value of the rice 
imported and a profit margin. 
(iii) State trading, State-owned enterprises and privatization 
92. Guinea-Bissau has not yet notified the WTO of  its State trading enterprises within the 
meaning of Article XVII of the GATT.42  The process of disengagement of the State from economic 
activities dates from 1987, but the actual liberalizatio n of the economy is proceeding at a slow pace.43  
Lists of State trading enterprises and State-owned en terprises have not been supplied.  However, the 
Guinea-Bissau Ports Administration appears to hol d a monopoly on the provision of port services.  
Several other State-owned enterprises appear to be  still active, including Guine Telecom, Guinetel, 
the Guinea-Bissau Public Electricity and Water Corporation, and Petroguin. 
(iv) Government procurement 
93. In 2010, Guinea-Bissau adopted a framework law44 on the management of government 
purchasing which transposed the relevant community regulations (common report, Chapter III(3)(iii)).  
However, the implementing decrees concerne d, including that establishing a Government 
Procurement Code, are still in preparation;  the new regulatory and awarding bodies, in particular the 
Government Procurement Regulatory Authority and the Central Government Purchasing Unit, are not 
yet operational. 
94. The Guinea-Bissau framework app ears to include contracts aw arded by the State, local 
authorities, public institutions, bodies and legal persons acting for the account or benefiting from the 
                                                      
40 Order No. 11/99 of 19 April 1999. 
41 Service Order No. 42/DGA/2011 of 13 December 2011. 
42 WTO document G/L/971/Rev.1 of 7 November 2011. 
43 Online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.a fricaneconomicoutlook.org/fr/countries/west-africa/ 
guinea-bissau. 
44 Decree-Law No. 19/2010 of 30 June 2010. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 215 
 
 
  financial assistance of the State, and majority Stat e-owned companies.  Coverage also extends to 
associations involving at least one of the above-mentioned entities.  Contracting authorities are said to be required to award their contracts by open invita tion to tender and recourse to any other method 
would have to be exceptional, justified by the co ntracting authority and authorized in advance by a 
responsible supervisory body. 
95. Established in 2011 under the supervision of the Minister of the Economy, the 
Central Government Purchasing Unit (UCAP) can aw ard contracts on behalf of all the contracting 
entities covered by the provisions of the Guinea-Bissa u government procurement legislation.  The role 
of the UCAP is to implement a competitive govern ment procurement process, from the publication of 
the invitation to tender to the selection of the b est bid.  Contract signature and performance 
monitoring are the responsibility of the contracting en tities.  In February 2012, the UCAP was not yet 
operational. 
96. Neither the Government Procurement Code in  force nor statistical data on government 
procurement have been provided. 
(v) Protection of intellectual property rights 
97. Guinea-Bissau, like the other WAEMU countries, is a member of the African Intellectual 
Property Organization (OAPI) created by the Bangui Agreement (common report, Chapter III(3)(iv)).  
Moreover, Guinea-Bissau has also  been a member of the Convention establishing the World 
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) since 28 June 1988.  Guinea-Bissau has not notified the WTO of its laws and decrees implementing the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement. 
98. The Directorate-General of Industrial Property, within the Ministry of Energy, Industry and 
Natural Resources, acts as the national liaison structure (SNL) for the OAPI.  Its principal mission is to transmit to the OAPI patent, utility model a nd ownership (trademark, design and trade name) 
applications originating in the national territory (Table III.7).  The Directorate also coordinates 
industrial property awareness-raising activities in Guinea-Bissau.  Since March 2011, a Documentation Centre, located at Bissau, has b een providing access to the database on industrial 
property titles issued by the OAPI, as well as to specialized intellectual property documentation.  
However, the Directorate continues to experien ce difficulties, mainly associated with financial 
constraints, in organizing awareness-rais ing activities and strengthening cooperation. 
Table III.7 
Applications received by the Directo rate-General of Industrial Property and transmitted to the OAPI, 2004-2011 
Title 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
Utility model 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 
Trademark 0 4 5 6 5 9 4 10 
Trade name 8 12 12 14 22 17 6 69 
Patent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Renewal application .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 
Prior art search application 62 115 147 201 392 450 439 434 
.. Not available. 
Source : Directorate-General of Industrial Prope rty, Ministry of Energy, Industry a nd Natural Resources of Guinea-Bissau. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 216 
  
  99. The administration of copyright and related rights is the responsibility of the Guinean 
Copyright Society ( Sociedade Guineense de Autores  (SGA)).  Founded in 1996, the SGA has the 
status of a private company;  in performing its functions, it cooperates with the Copyright Directorate in the Ministry of Education. 
 Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 217 
 
 
  IV. TRADE POLICY AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR 
(1) AGRICULTURAL , FORESTRY AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS  
100. Guinea-Bissau has the potential to develop its agricultural production.  Rainfall is abundant 
and an area of 1,110,000 hectares, corresponding to  one third (32 per cent) of the country's total 
surface area, is suitable for agriculture, although onl y some 20 per cent of this area is in fact 
cultivated.  Two crops predominate:  cashew nuts and irrigated rice (Table IV.1). 
101. Over the past ten years, Guin ea-Bissau has achieved a substantial increase in its production of 
food crops, including cashew nuts, the principal export, rice, as well as cassava and other tubers.  The use of tractors, improved seeds, fertilizer and equipm ent supplied by the Government or under certain 
projects, especially the FAO Special Programme for Food Security
45, has apparently made cultivation 
more efficient and explains the increase in productio n.  As a result, there has been little increase in 
imports over the period. 
Table IV.1 
Guinea-Bissau's main crops, 2000 and 2006-2011 
(Thousands of tonnes, unless otherwise specified) 
 
2000 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Share of 
global 
production 
2010 (%) 
Total agriculture   0.01 
Cashew nuts 73 130a
 130a130a200a180a 200a 2.54 
Paddy rice 106 106 127 149 182 177 .. 0.03 
Groundnuts, not hulled  .. 22 25 30 31 70 .. 0.19 
Tubers & roots, n.e.s. 65 72 75 83 73 73 .. 0.81 
Plantain bananas 37 46 40 41 44 42 .. 0.12 
Fresh fruit, n.e.s. 19 22 19 17 19 21 .. 0.07 
Coconuts 46 46 46 46 40 40 .. 0.06 
Millet 21 50 26 31 12 28 .. 0.10 
Fresh vegetables, n.e.s. 26 27 28 33 26 34 .. 0.01 
Cassava 33 40 43 48 28 89 .. 0.04 
Mangoes, mangosteens and guavas .. 5 5 6 66  .. 0.02 
Sorghum 21 25 15 18 15 18 .. 0.03 
Palm oil 5 6 6 6 66  .. 0.01 
Cotton lint .. 2 2 2 22  .. 0.01 
.. Not available. 
a Estimates provided by the authorities. 
Source:  FAOStat (date accessed:  December 2011) ;  IMF exchange rate (US$1 = €0.72). 
102. Guinea-Bissau still records a larg e deficit in cereals, notably rice.  Imports of food products 
amount to some €35 million, or around €22/inh. and from 2003 to 2007 accounted for 40 per cent of 
Guinea-Bissau's total imports, These food imports are roughly equivalent to the exports of raw 
cashew nuts (see below). 
                                                      
45 Viewed at:  http://www.fao.org/count ries/55528/fr/gnb/ (French only). WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 218 
  
  103. Guinea-Bissau's National Agricultural Inv estment Programme (PNIA), launched in 
April 2009 under the auspices of ECOWAS (common re port, Chapter IV(2)), is still in the very early 
stages.  Its overall aim is to guarantee food security  and help to reduce poverty in rural areas by 
boosting promising agricultural sectors.46  It provides for the development of both food crops and 
production for export.  The aim of the Programme as a whole is to make Guinea -Bissau self-sufficient 
in production of food crops by 2020.  Its est imated cost is CFAF 153 billion (€232 million, 
or €155/inh.).  If the PNIA is to succeed, agricu lture's share of the State's overall budget (5 per cent 
in 2007) will have to be increased , particularly for rural infrastruct ure.  In addition, agricultural 
production and, consequently, povert y reduction, would also greatly benefit from a decrease in the 
high fiscal levies in the agricultural sector, particular ly on producers of cashew nuts.  Guinea-Bissau 
has never made any notification to the WTO Committee on Agriculture. 
(i) Reform of property law and foreign direct investment 
104. The general lack of foreign investment has also  affected the agricultural sector.  To remedy 
this situation, the PNIA includes a project to re form the regulations on la nd tenure and occupation.  
The main measures to be taken by the Ministry of the Interior are to improve the land register and 
registration services and to redefine the terms for granting and monitoring concessions.  According to 
the authorities, however, this project is not moving ahead. 
105. The State owns the land:  nationals and fore igners alike are only eligible for 90-year 
renewable leases.  A lease must be granted for an y land exceeding five hectares, but below that figure 
there are no controls.  Leases are granted jointly by the Ministries of Infrastructure and Agriculture;  
they cover some 27 per cent of arable land (i.e. 9 per cent of the country's total surface area) and 
occupy the country's best agricultural land, farmed by modern producers ( ponteiros ).  Their average 
size is 136 hectares, with a range of 20 to 2,500 hectares. 
106. There are estimated to be around 120,000 small village farmers ( tabancas ), who make up the 
majority of the rural population and account for 90 per cent of production on farms of less than 
5 hectares.  For this category of producer, obtaining land ownership deeds would undoubtedly 
facilitate access to financing for their agricu ltural activities (common report, Chapter IV(1)). 
(ii) Cashew nuts 
107. Guinea-Bissau has what are considered to be  ideal conditions for producing cashew nuts.  
According to the authorities, it would appear that  this crop is grown on 250,000 to 330,000 hectares, 
with production ranging from 130,000 to 200,000 tonnes since 2006 and an estimated yield of 
600 tonnes/hectare.  The nuts are mainly produced without using imported i nputs and their superior 
quality gives them a price advantage on internationa l markets.  Moreover, 85 per cent of cashew nuts 
are grown by small producers and most of Guinea-Bissau's farmers produce them.  This means that any changes in prices or in the taxation of producers will have a marked impact on the population's income and poverty. 
108. The Government may announce an indicative producer price on the radio, but this did not 
occur in 2008-2010.  For the 2011 season, a price of CFAF 250/kg was announced (Table IV.2).  A total of 770 approved traders then purchase the cr ops from farmers at a freely negotiated price.  
Traders pay an annual fee of CFAF 50,000 (€76) to the Ministry of Trade for approval. 
                                                      
46 Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, National Agricultural Investment Programme  
(PNIA).  FAO (2011). Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 219 
 
 
  109. Field surveys by the National Cashew Nuts Co mmission (CNC) (see below) give an estimated 
producer purchase price ( precio médio praticado ao produtor ).  These estimates indicate that the 
payment offered is often far from being to the produ cers' advantage (Table IV.2), particularly in 
comparison with the export price. 
Table IV.2 
Indicators for Guinea-Bissau's trade in cashew nuts, 2000 and 2003-2011 
(CFAF billion, unless otherwise mentioned)  
 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011a 
Producer price announced by the Government 
(CFAF/kg) 300 250 250 250 350 200.. .. ..250 
Average producer price (CFAF/kg) 300 250 250 250 100 150 300 186 273 333 
Average export price f.o.b. (US$/tonne) .. .. .. .. .. .. 950 623 749 1,301 
Average export price f.o.b. (CFAF/kg) .. .. .. .. .. .. 425 294 371 614 
Memorandum item:  Basic price for export taxation 
(Tributária ) (US$/tonne) 800 650 650 650 750 600 
600  
600 600 750 
 (CFAF/kg) 570 378 343 343 392 288 269 283 297 354 
Exports of cashew nuts (f.o.b. value in CFAF) 59.8 32.3 38.4 44.7 29.0 34.6 23.0 35.7  .. .. 
Value of the export tax  .. .. .. 2.0 1.6 1.9 .. .. .. .. 
Memorandum item:  value of exports in euros 91.2 49.2 58.5 68.1 44.2 52.7 35.1 54.4 .. .. 
Volume exported (thousands of tonnes) 72.7 75.0 93.2 96.1 92.3 96.1 109.6 135.7 122.2 174.2 
a Estimates.  For any given year, the season starts in March. 
.. Not available.  
Source : World Bank (2010), UN Comtrade database, and information provided by the authorities. 
110. Cashew nuts account for 98 per cent of official exports of goods, whose value amounts to 
around CFAF 35 billion (€53 million, or €33/inh.).  Th e export statistics do not always reflect the true 
situation because when producer prices are relativel y low in comparison with export prices, some of 
these exports consist of goods smuggled  out through ports in other countries in the region.  According 
to the authorities, it would appear that smuggl ed goods accounted for 15 per cent of production 
in 2011.  These informal exports mainly go through  Senegal or Gambia (the ports of Ziguinchor or 
Banjul), despite the ban on exports by road (Cha pter III(3)).  On several occasions, the authorities 
have tried in vain to close the northern borders of  the country to informal exporters of cashew nuts. 
 - Exporters buy the nuts from the traders and they must possess an export licence 
issued by the Ministry of Trade.  Some 50 exporters have been approved, against 
annual payment of CFAF 500,000 (€760) each .  The taxation on exports of cashew 
nuts represents one third to 40 per cent of the State's fiscal revenue (CFAF 1.9 billion in 2007). 
  - The export tax is composed of the following:  a customs ( aduaneiro ) tax (6 per cent 
in February 2012);  a rural contribution tax ( contribuição predial rustica ) (2 per 
cent);  and a fixed advance payment on prof its tax (3 per cent);  giving a total of 
11 per cent.  The tax base is determined by  the State on the basis of a notional price 
(preço tributário ) fixed in dollars (i.e. US$750/tonne since February 2011 
(Table IV.2)).
47  With this system, when the pri ce in dollars is less than the price 
                                                      
47 The details can be found in Decree-Law No. 01/2005 and Decree-Law No. 03/2005 on the marketing 
and export of raw cashew nuts. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 220 
  
  determined, the export tax in fact exceeds 11 per cent, but when the export price in 
dollars exceeds the taxable price, which is us ually the case, it is less than 11 per cent. 
 111. Since 2011, a new levy has been imposed on exported raw cashew nuts (CFAF 50/kg for 
the 2011-2012 season), which is paid into an industrialization promotion fund (FUNPI).
48  Depending 
on the year, this may be over one quarter of the price (and consequently of the income) received by producers.  In 2012, this fund has around US$20 million.  A decree of 2005, however, already provided that 5 per cent of the revenue derived from tax on exports of cashew nuts should be set 
aside "to boost development of the branch".  The one and only payment for this purpose was 
apparently in 2009 to the National Associa tion of Guinean Cashew Nut Producers (ANAG). 
112. Overall, this branch is heavily taxed from ha rvest to export.  The various taxes, charges 
and "contributions" imposed on expor ters and, above all, on producers of cashew nuts include the 
following: 
- Disinfection of storage warehouses for nuts (CFAF 50,000 per consignment stored); 
- Phytosanitary certificate issued by the Mi nistry of Agriculture (CFAF 10,000 per 
certificate); 
- Inspection for the purpose of obtaining the certificate (CFAF 30,000); 
- Cost of approval of the intermediary (CFAF 50,000 per year); 
- Weight certificate, issued by one of two foreign private firms (CFAF 1,500/tonne 
in 2008 (Chapter III(3)); 
- Approval of the exporter (CFAF 500,000 per year); 
- Certificate of origin issued by the Mini stry of Trade (CFAF 10,000 per certificate); 
- Export tax (11 per cent of the value of exports); 
- Fees for customs services rendered ( emolumentos pessoais ) (1 per cent of the value of 
exports, also applicable to the notional value defined above)
49; 
- Private sector contribution (CFAF 50/kg); 
- National Shippers Council le vy (€5 per tonne or per m3). 
113. Virtually all exports (from 95 to 99 per cent depe nding on the year) currently go to India in an 
unprocessed state. 
                                                      
48 Decree No. 19/2011 of 3 March 2011. 
49 Customs levies "personal fees" ( emolumentos pessoais ) at a rate of 1 per cent on all exports, in other 
words, mainly on cashew nuts, in order to pay for customs services rendered (Chapter III(1)). Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 221 
 
 
  (2) FISHERIES PRODUCTS  
114. Fishing accounts for over 7 per cent of Guinea-Bissau's GDP.  Its Exclusive Economic 
Zone (EEZ) is one of the largest and richest in  fisheries resources in the region, with catches 
estimated to be 100,000 tonnes annually.50 
115. In early 2011, the Norwegian Government offered Guinea-Bissau support for extending the 
limit of its continental shelf to 350 nautical m iles, under a cooperation agreement between Norway 
and several countries in the region51;  in February 2012 discussions were under way.  This extension 
could generate surplus resources and hence more ec onomic benefits, provided that the conditions are 
in place at the national level for effective monitori ng of the zone, which is not currently the case.  
Guinea-Bissau sorely needs extern al assistance to enable it to exercise proper control over its EEZ and 
thus halt the pillage of its fisheries resources before they are depleted. 
116. In 2010 and 2011, the Centre for Applied Fi sheries Research, with assistance from Mauritania 
(IMROP), carried out a scientific estimation of fish stocks.  According to the authorities, these have 
not diminished to any significant extent, except in the case of tuna and sardinella.  The biomass is 
estimated to be 620,000 tonnes, comprising 74 per cent of pelagic species and 26 per cent of demersal 
species. 
117. The government body responsible for the fisheries sector in Guinea-Bissau is the Ministry of 
Fisheries.  The Ministry has made considerab le efforts since 2010 to enhance governance and 
transparency.  For example, acco rding to several observers, statistics on catches by product can be 
found in the Statistical Bulletin. 
118. In general, the small-scale and industrial fishi ng fleets do not receive any subsidies or other 
assistance from the State.  In 2011, the revenue earned from fishing agreements and licences and from 
fines yielded around €15 million, or one third of th e State's revenue, which makes it difficult for the 
Government to introduce measures for sustainable mana gement of the sector.  The total market value 
of catches, in comparison, ranges from €60 to €90 million depending on the year, an amount that considerably exceeds the revenue.  The aut horities are aware of this loss of revenue. 
119. As Guinea-Bissau does not have a national fl eet capable of fishing within the EEZ, 
foreign-registered vessels do most of the fish ing.  The species are of high commercial value 
(cephalopods, shrimps, demersal and tuna species).  Almost all these vessels' catches are exported to 
Europe or Asia without being unloaded a nd without creating any local value added. 
120. National and foreign vessels chartered by Guinea-Bissau firms unload species that are of low 
commercial value in the domestic market, reflecti ng the population's low purchasing power.  The cost 
of licences is lower for chartered vessels than fo r foreign vessels, but chartered vessels must 
unload 75 kg of fish per gross registered tonne (GRT) each quarter in Guinea-Bissau.  The requirements are specified in relation to the vessels' capacity (in GRT) rather than in total catches as it 
is impossible for the authorities to control the latter. 
                                                      
50 Ministry of Fisheries.  Project for management of biodiversity and the coastal zone of 
Guinea-Bissau, Coordinating Bureau of the Fisheries Component, Fisheries Development Strategic Plan.  
Viewed at:  http://mepirgb-gov.org/Projectos_E_Programas/PLANO%20EST.pdf). 
51 Online information.  Viewed at:  http://www. sidsnet.org/msi_5/docs/na rs/AIMS/Guinea_Bissau 
(http://www.sidsnet.org/msi_5/docs/nars/AI MS/ Guinea_Bissau) -MSI-NAR2009.pdf. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 222 
  
  121. In 2012, a new port to be used solely by fishing vessels should come into operation in 
Alto Bandim.  This port, finan ced by the African Development Ba nk (AfDB) and the European Union 
(EU) will help, inter alia , to create the right conditions for unloading small-scale and industrial 
production, with a 360-metre fisheries wharf, the de velopment of 2 hectares for land-based industries, 
and the purchase of three maritime patrol vessels.  The authorities hope that the operation of this port 
infrastructure will lead to an increase in the volu me of fish unloaded of around 58,000 tonnes by 
2015, compared to 9,000 tonnes at present. 
122. In addition, a large river ne twork extending over some 8,000 km2 has unexploited potential 
for fish farming on an industrial scale. 
123. Among the measures recently taken is the developm ent of a legislative framework specific to 
the sector (Table IV.3).  In September 2008, the Mi nistry drew up a Fisheries Development Strategic 
Plan, which was endorsed in 2009.52  The Plan defines the fishing and trawling zones, together with 
the mesh sizes authorized and the thresholds of to lerance for releasing back into the sea.  Fisheries 
reserves were created in 2008 and 2009.  Fisheries activ ities are, in principle, governed by a series of 
regulations laid down in the General Fisheries Law of 2011 ( Lei Geral da Pesca ).  There has been a 
national register of industrial fishing vessels since 20 11.  It was planned to hold a national conference 
in 2012 to update the Strategic Plan. 
Table IV.3 
Institutions, laws and regulations on trade in fisheries products 
Legislation Subject 
Decree-Law No. 10/2011  General Fisheries Law 2011 
Decree No. 4/1996 Implementing regulations for the Fisherie s Law (licences, royalties), currently being revised 
Decree No. 9/2011  Import and export regulations ( Regulamento de Inspecção de Pescado ) 
Decree-Law No. 24/2011 Regula tions on small-scale fishing 
Decree-Law No. 04/2004 Decree-Law creating the authority responsib le for controlling the hygiene and sanitary state of fisherie s 
products 
Decree No. 07/98 Creation of the Centre  for Applied Fisheries Research ( Criação do Centro de Investigação Pesqueira 
Aplicada  (CIPA)) 
Protocol Subregional Fisheries Commission (http://www.csrpsp.org/) 
Protocol of Agreement Partnership Agreem ent with the European Uni on (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri 
=OJ:L:2007:342:0005:0037:EN:PDF) 
.. Framework Agreement with Norway 
.. Fisheries Agreement with China 
.. Fisheries Agreement with Senegal 
.. Fisheries Agreement with Cape Verde 
.. Not available. 
Source : WTO Secretariat, on the basis of information provided by the authorities. 
124. In 2010, as in 2001 and 2005, reports confirmed that between one third and one half of the 
vessels present in Guinea-Bissau's EEZ were fishing illegally.  There is strong pressure on the resource because of the illegal fishing phenomenon a nd failure to respect the fishing regulations, both 
for small-scale and industrial fishing.  Many vessels and small canoes from neighbouring countries 
also fish illegally and sometimes employ unsustain able fishing techniques that are harmful to the 
marine environment. 
                                                      
52 Online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.un .org/wcm/webdav/site/ldc/shared/Guinea%20Bissau. 
pdf (http://www.un.org/wcm/webdav/site /ldc/shared/Guinea-Bissau.pdf) . Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 223 
 
 
  125. Surveillance capacity is insufficient.53  In fact, for the purpose of monitoring all the area 
under its jurisdiction and pursuing offending vessels, Guinea-Bissau has neither aircraft nor radar and 
only has three vessels that are usually confin ed to quay because diesel fuel is too costly.54  T h e  
Government has declared the introduction of a programme to combat illegal, unreported and 
unregulated (IUU) fishing to be a priority.55  In practice, activities focus on exchanging information 
on the licences granted, monitoring suspect vessels and where appropriate detaining them, with 
assistance from the European Commission (DGMARE).  
126. The regulations on small-scale fishing were revi sed in 2001 and fisheries reserves created in 
2008 and 2009.56  Small-scale fishermen are calling for the introduction of properly protected marine 
areas in order to move towards sustainable manage ment of coastal resources.  According to the 
authorities, small-scale fishing is suffering greatly from incursions by industrial fishing vessels in areas that are usually reserved for it, in  addition to illegal industrial fishing
57 .  The resulting 
over-exploitation forces small-scale fishermen to give up fishing because their vessels are only suitable for coastal fishing, thereby exacerbating their poverty. 
127. Domestic production does not meet the phytosanitary standards required for export to Europe.  
Guinea-Bissau therefore has no access to the EU market  for its fisheries products.  The objective of 
the policy for the development of livestock and fish eries is to introduce sanitary certification by an 
official veterinarian, who would be the fisheries authority responsible for certifying the health quality 
of products, as required by the EU and in conform ity with the OIE's international standards.  The 
Centre for Applied Fisheries Research is developi ng laboratory techniques and it is planned that it will 
carry out bacteriological tests and quality controls as of 2013. 
128. A fishing licence is required against payment of a royalty that varies depending on the 
species.  The royalties for fishing rights are published annually in the industrial fisheries directories.  
According to the authorities, it is planned to cr eate a website on which this information will be 
available.  Industrial fishing is practised by fo reign fleets operating under two types of licence:  
foreign vessels under fisheries agreements (European  Union, China, Senegal) and vessels under free 
licences (other countries).  Like industrial fishing, small-scale fishing is, in principle, subject to 
possession of a licence and normally special areas are reserved for it. 
129. In 2003, 282 fishing licences were granted by  Guinea-Bissau's authorities to national and 
foreign fishermen (Table IV.4).  As the cost of a licence is almost double for foreign fishermen than 
for their national counterparts, some fishermen in the subregion have adopted local names and take up 
licences in those names.  Because of such fraud, in  2004, the authorities increased  the cost of licences 
four-fold and the amounts by category are now more or less the same for nationals and foreigners 
alike. 
                                                      
53 Ministry of Natural Resources and the Enviro nment (undated).  Guinea-Bissau ratified the 
Convention on Biological Diversity in October 1995. 
54 Online information from the Economic and Social Council.  Viewed at:  
http://www.conseil-economique-et-soci al.fr/rapport/pravi/PA100230.pdf. 
55 Online information.  Viewed at:  http://mepirgb-gov.org/Projectos_E_Programas/PLANO%20EST. 
pdf. 
56 Online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.u n.org/wcm/webdav/site/ldc/shared/Guinea%20.Bissau. 
pdf. 
57 Order No. 00676/2006 containing the regulations on small-scale fishing and Order No. 00677/2006 
adopting the manual for participatory surveillance procedures. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 224 
  
  Table IV.4 
Number of licences issued in 2000, 2003 and 2010, by type of fishing 
Ownership of vessels Shrimp Demersal  Pelagic Cephalopods Tuna Total 
2000    
European Union  60 0 0 6  30 96 
CONAPEMAC  14 0 0 10  0 24 
KIM ANAVIPESCA  2 5 0 0  0 7 
FEDERPESCA  12 2 0 1  0 20 
National company  0 0 0 9  5 9 
Chartered vessels  24 40 14 5  1 84 
TOTAL  112 47 14 31  36 240 
2003        
European Union  48 7 0 31  45 131 
CONAPEMAC  14 0 0 10  0 24 
FEDERPESCA  37 0 0 0  0 37 
Agreement with Senegalese co mpanies  19 0 0 3  0 22 
Agreement with Italian companies  5 0 0 1  0 6 
National companies and chartered vessels 14 36 6 5  0 61 
Seven Seas  1 0 0 0  0 1 
TOTAL  138 43 6 50  45 282 
2010        
European Union  52 0 0 22 31 105 
CONAPEMAC  8 21 0 25 0 54 
Agreement with Senegalese  companies 0 0 0 1 0 1 
National companies and chartered vessels 6 42 7 9 11 75 
TOTAL 66 63 7 57 42 235 
Source : National Directorate of Fisheries. 
130. The EU plays a predominant role in Guinea-Bi ssau's waters, accounting for a little over half 
of the fishing fleet.  The first fisheries agreement between the EU and Guinea-Bissau was in 1980 
(Table IV.5).58  Since then, consecutive protocols have a llowed EU vessels to fish in Guinea-Bissau's 
waters against an annual payment.  They prov ide for a maximum quota of catches and also for 
complementary commitments on the part of th e Union intended to finance programmes for 
Guinea-Bissau's fisher ies sector since 2001. 
131. The Fisheries Agreement in effect since 16 June 2011 and valid until 16 June 2012, gave 
fishing opportunities for shrimp, cephalopod and fishing boats, tuna seiners, longliners and rod-and-line vessels.  A new clause was added allowi ng for suspension of the protocol if human rights 
or democratic principles are violated.  The EU's overall financial contribution amounted to €7.5 million annually, of which €2.45 million went to support Guinea-Bissau's fisheries policy.  Of 
this total amount, €500,000 should be used for the introduction of a sanitary and phytosanitary scheme 
for fisheries products.
59  If necessary, however, the two parties could also decide to use part of this 
contribution to improve the monitoring, control a nd surveillance system in Guinea-Bissau's fishing 
areas.  In particular, like the preceding protocol, the current protocol provi ded for fishing in the 
following categories: 
                                                      
58 Online information.  Viewed at:  http://eur-lex .europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri (http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?  uri) =CELEX:31980R2213:  FR:NOT 
59 Online information.  Viewed at:  http://eur-l ex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ: 
L:2007:  342:0005:  0037:EN:PDF. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 225 
 
 
   - 4,400 gross tonnes/year for sh rimp fishing and freezing trawlers; 
 
- 4,400 gross tonnes/year for fish and cephalopod freezing vessels; 
 
 - 23 tuna seiners/surface longliners;  and 
  - 14 tuna rod-and-line vessels. 
Table IV.5 
Background to EU - Guinea-B issau fisheries agreements  
Period covered by the 
protocol  Total compensation 
(€ million/year) Gross tonnes/year Number of tuna fishing vessels/year
1980-1982  1.395  6,500  26  
1983-1986  1.508  7,500  50  
1986-1989  2.633  11,000  76  
1989-1991  5.965  15,000  95  
1991-1993  6.675  17,000  32  
1993-1995  6.350  15,000  32  
1995-1997  6.350  12,800  42  
1997-2001  9.000  12,600  89  
2001-2004  10.200  12,400  76  
2004-2007  7.260  8,800  70  
2007-2011  7.500  8,800  37  
2011-2012  7.500  8,800  37  
2012-2015  9.200  7,200 40 
Source:  Guinea-Bissau – European Union fishing protocols of agreement. 
132. The 2010-2011 Protocol also provided for a reduc tion in fishing for shrimp and cephalopods, 
maintaining the 2007 levels for the existing agreemen ts with third countries and the EU.  If the fishing 
opportunities given to third countries had not been u sed by 1 January 2007, however, they could not 
be taken up in 2008 and following years.  No fi shing opportunities are give n to chartered vessels in 
these categories.  The agreement excluded any ot her agreement with European companies or 
associations/firms;  this agreement should be renounced (Table IV.4). 
133. If European vessels used a larger number of fishing opportunities, the EU had to pay 
Guinea-Bissau an additional amount in proportion to  the increase within the limits of the fishing 
opportunities determined in the protocol and up to  a maximum of €1 million yearly.  Under the new 
Protocol signed for the period 2012-2015, owners of vessels wishing to increase their catches must 
enter into negotiations with the Ministry responsible  for Fisheries, subject to a 12 per cent increase in 
the cost of licences.  Fishing opportunities may be adjusted by mutual agre ement, in which case the 
financial counterpart is adjusted proportionately. 
134. In order to encourage the economic integrati on of community operators in Guinea-Bissau's 
fisheries sector, Article 10 of the 2010-2011 Agre ement provided that European vessels that had set 
up temporary associations with companies in the fo rm of joint ventures would not have to pay the 
licence royalties. 
135. Community vessels are not currently obliged to unload their catches in Guinea-Bissau's ports.  
The lack of a requirement to unload in national por ts could be called into question when the port of 
Bissau is developed. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 226 
  
  136. The 2012-2015 Protocol is for €9.2 million, of  which €6.2 million are for the standing 
contribution and €3 million in principle for sectoral support;  this amount should in principle be used 
exclusively by the Ministry responsible for fisheries to set up control systems. 
137. Guinea-Bissau and China have had a fish eries agreement since 15 March 1974 allowing 
the company China Internationa l Fisheries Cooperation (CONAPEMAC) to exploit resources 
in Guinea-Bissau's EEZ.  The current agreemen t is in effect until 2014 and provides for 
maximum tonnage per year (shrimp:  398 GR T/year;  cephalopods:  2,340 GRT/year;  and 
fish:  2,145 GRT/year).  The amount paid for licences and management funds in 2010 was 
CFAF 700 million (€1.37 million).60 
138. The Implementing Protocol for the C ooperation Agreement on Fishing between 
Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde allows ten Cape Verd ian vessels to fish in Guinean waters;  it would 
seem that it is not currently in effect.61  There is also a fisheries agreement between Guinea-Bissau 
and Senegal, which imposes an unloading requirement. 
139. Because of the manifest over-exploitation of several of its fisheries resources and the wastage 
(the rate of release of by-catch by shrimpers is apparently almost 14 times the volume retained on 
board), since the 1980s Guinea-Bissau has developed policies to protect resources and these should be 
implemented.  For example, it joined the Subr egional Fisheries Commission when it was created 
in 198562;  it also joined the Regional Marine and Co astal Conservation Programme for West Africa63;  
obtained official recognition from UNESCO for the Bo lama-Bijagós Biosphere Reserve;  created the 
João Vieira-Poilão National Marine Park;  and set up a monitoring centre in the Bijagós Archipelago, 
initiating a species monitoring process.  These measu res show awareness of  the gravity of the 
problem.  It is by no means certain, however, that they will prevent total de pletion of resources, as 
happened in Canada, for example, in the 1990s for cod, whose population remains depleted 20 years 
later.64 
(3) MINING AND ENERGY  
140. The body responsible for the petroleum sector  is the Ministry of Natural Resources and 
Energy.65 
(i) Petroleum and gas products, and coal 
141. There has not yet been any commercially profitable discovery of petroleum deposits.  
Neither petroleum nor gas is therefore produced  in Guinea-Bissau.  The Ministry has granted 
concessions for offshore oil prospection in the EEZ to various international firms. 
                                                      
60 Industrial Fishing Yearbook 2010 (Anuario Pesca Industrial 2010).  
61 National Strategic Plan. 
62 The members are Cape Verde, Gambia, Guin ea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Senegal and 
Sierra Leone.  Viewed at:  http://www.csrpsp.or g/actualites/Echos%20de%20la%20CSRP%20special per cent 
20XXeme.pdf. 
63 Online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.prcmarine.org/. 
64 See, for example, Fisheries and Oceans Canada.  Viewed at:  http://www .dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/ 
Publications/article/2006/01-11-2006-eng.htm. 
65 This Ministry does not appear to have a website.  Telephone numbers:  (+245) 32223149 and 
(+245) 3221925. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 227 
 
 
  142. The main legislation in this sector is th e 1982 Hydrocarbons Law, completed by 
the 1985 Amendment;  and Decree-Law No. 4/2006 on the policy for concessions for the exploration 
and production of hydrocarbons on Guinea-Bissau's offshore shelf.  None of these texts was provided for the preparation of this report. 
143. Guinea-Bissau has no known restrictions on foreign investment in this sector, with the 
exception of the joint enterprise requirement.  Explora tion must be in the form of a joint enterprise 
between foreign firms and the State-owned enterprise Petrolífera da Guiné Bissau (Petroguin).  Joint 
enterprise agreements are agreements on profit shar ing providing that Petroguin will be the owner of 
any deposit discovered, but does not finance drilling costs.  The presence of a State-owned enterprise 
as administrator and owner may entail costs and corr uption and restrict mining companies' margin of 
manoeuvre to reach agreements with other firms. 
144. In the DTIS, it was recommended that the 1982 Hydrocarbons Law, and also the taxation of 
the petroleum and mining sectors, should be revised to  bring them into conformity with current best 
international practices, thereby en abling revenue in this sector to be maximized in the long term.  
Depending on the year, imports of petroleum products account for between 16 to 25 per cent of total 
imports.  According to customs statistics, impor ts come from Senegal (54 per cent of the total 
in 2007) and Côte d'Ivoire (25 per cent). 
(ii) Other mining products 
145. The 2000 Law on Mining and Minerals is the main legislation in this sector.  Recent 
discoveries of phosphate and bauxite in Guinea-Bi ssau open up promising prospects in terms of 
additional revenue, but also raise concerns in terms of Dutch Disease-type inflationary risks, in 
addition to the social and environmental aspects. 
146. The first (and only) phosphate deposit was discovered in 1978 close to the town of 
Farim, 25 km from Senegal and 100 km from Bissau .  According to the World Bank in the DTIS, 
reserves are estimated to be 10 million tonnes of mineral ore, with 30 per cent phosphate.  Surveys 
also appear to have identified 400 million tonnes of lo wer quality mineral ore.  It is estimated that the 
mineral ore can be exploited for 20 years, plus a nother 200 years if the lower quality ore is mined.  
In 2010, the price of phosphate reached US$300/tonn e, well above the long-term prices, which range 
from US$120 to US$150.  The World Bank has estimated that extraction of 600,000 tonnes of phosphate yearly (30 per cent of 2.5 million tonnes of mineral ore) would yield US$90 million at a 
price of US$150/tonne, equivalent to one quarter of the current GDP. 
147. The company Guinea-Bissau Phosphate Mining Lt d. owns exploitation rights for phosphate 
over an area covering 20 km².  Phosphate minera l ore, which would mainly be used to produce 
artificial fertilizer, has to be mined in open mines.   This will have serious consequences for the entire 
village of Salinquénhé, which woul d disappear.  The inhabitants r eceive support and advice from a 
Swiss NGO, SWISSAID, in order to be properly co mpensated and re-housed in a new village to be 
built.  In SWISSAID's view, with investment of around CFAF 300 million, the 120 million tonnes of 
phosphate could be mined over the next 20 years in a way that is sustainable for the population and 
for the environment.
66  In order to increase the benefits of  mining projects for the local population, the 
priority action matrix in the DTIS includes a recommendation making social services, vocational 
training programmes and, above a ll, re-housing in new villages mandatory for mining projects. 
                                                      
66 Online information from SWISSAID.  Viewed  at:  http://www.swissaid.ch/global/PDF/ 
swissaidmagazin/Le_Monde_4-2010_page_6-8.pdf. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 228 
  
  148. Five deposits of bauxite have b een identified in Boe, in the south-east of the country, with 
reserves estimated to be 113 million tonnes and alumina and silica content evaluated at 45 per cent and 3.7 per cent, respectively.  For a long time, th is mineral ore was not considered profitable when 
prices stood at US$10-15/tonne, but the project became viable when prices reached US$60/tonne.  
With annual mining of 5 million tonnes at a price of US$25/tonne, the project would yield 
US$125 million yearly, more than one quarter of the current GDP. 
149. In 2007, Bauxite Angola owned 70 per cent of th e exploitation rights for these deposits, with 
the Governments of Angola and Guinea-Bissau ow ning 20 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively.  
At June 2012, Bauxite Angola had not  yet begun exploiting the deposits. 
150. The WTO Secretariat has not received a copy of the 2000 Mining Code which, according to 
the DTIS, guarantees the security of mining right s and provides a structure described as "generous" 
for mining companies.
67  As regards royalties (Article 43), the Mining Code is particularly generous:  
only 5 per cent of the value of production has to be  retroceded to the Government.  The cost of 
exploration and exploitation licences is also describ ed as being very low.  It does not depend on the 
size of the mine and is not linked to inflation. 
151. The Mining Code also gives the Government a wide margin of discretionary manoeuvre as 
regards compensation for environmental damage  (Article 90), and does not provide for any 
environmental impact study.  A draft law on enviro nmental protection is, however, apparently before 
the National Assembly and the Unit for Evaluation of  Environmental Impact (CAIA) has been set up 
to carry out environmental impact studies.  The challenge will be to implement the 
CAIA's recommendations in the current situation of institutional weakness. 
152. The assignment of mining rights is also largely at the discretion of the Government 
(Articles 126-129), as is their extension (Articles 79-81) .  The Code contains few provisions to protect 
communities affected by mining projects or to re quire that projects should include specific local 
development measures.  A procedure for the settlem ent of disputes is provided in Article 180.  
Provisions on small-scale mines, in Articles 33-34, are defined as insufficient to ensure good 
governance in this sector. 
153. In the DTIS priority action matrix, the recommendations on revision of the Mining Code are 
intended to make it more transparent, to define  more clearly the respective responsibilities of the 
Government and mining companies, and to eliminate discretionary practices as far as possible.  This revision, particularly in terms of fiscality, coul d bring Guinea-Bissau into conformity with best 
international practices.  The DTIS recommends in par ticular that the cost of mining permits should be 
increased to bring them closer to current internationa l practice.  This would help to maximize revenue 
in the sector in the long term.  The Directorate of Geology and Mining is the department of the 
Ministry responsible for mining and is  in charge of regulating the sector. 
154. In 2010, the new Government convened a conf erence on "mining resources and sustainable 
development".  Aware that development of mini ng would have far-reaching consequences for the 
population, the Government has received support fro m the World Bank to introduce a regulatory and 
legislative framework to allow the population to benefit from mining, ensuring in particular that the 
revenue earned is translated into human capital and sustainable infrastructure.
68  In 2010, the 
Government signed an agreement with the "Oil a nd Extractive Industries" Working Group backed by 
                                                      
67 World Bank (2010). 
68 Online information from SWISSAID.  View ed at:  http://www.swissaid.ch/wFrancais/ 
entwicklungspolitik/erdoel/2010_08_26 _MoU_Bauxite_phosphate_GB.php. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 229 
 
 
  the NGO SWISSAID, undertaking to publish all the information necessary on extraction of raw 
materials.  This commitment also concerns th e preparation of a new law on mining, as well as 
exploration and extraction contracts signed with mining companies and the conduct of environmental 
studies. 
155. Several civil society coalitions have been m obilized in Guinea-Bissau in support of the 
campaign "Publish what you pay", following which the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 
(EITI) was launched in 2003.69  In countries belonging to the EITI, mining companies and the 
Government undertake to publish payments rela ting to large mining activities, to allow an 
independent audit and to apply in ternational accounting standards.  For the time being, Guinea-Bissau 
is not a candidate for the EITI.  The DTIS recomme nds that Guinea-Bissau should take part in the 
EITI++ process so that earnings from mining and the assignment of contracts are managed transparently and mechanisms are introduced to ma nage mining revenue and minimize the effects of 
the Dutch Disease type. 
(iii) Electricity and water 
156. The lack of electricity is described as the c ountry's main economic problem.  Less than one 
fifth of the population has access to electricity.  The network only functions intermittently and most 
rural areas have no electricity at all.  The lack of electricity is a major constraint on any development 
of manufacturing, with the exception of cashew nu t processing, which uses electricity obtained by 
burning the shells, as is done by the SICAJU. 
157. The Guinea-Bissau Public Electricity a nd Water Corporation (EAGB) - a national 
State-owned company - suffers from major financia l constraints, mainly because of problems in 
getting consumers to pay their bills, but also suffers  from equally significant technical constraints, for 
example, the lack of spare parts and skilled pers onnel.  The Government has announced its intention 
to provide a minimum level of services in the capital;  to review the EAGB's scale of rates, which does not differentiate between individuals and companies, or between high and low voltage;  and to improve the collection of payments so as to reduce the company's financial difficulties.  Electricity is 
currently generated by turbines using impor ted diesel fuel, with capacity of 8.5 MW. 
158. Guinea-Bissau is not interconnected with nei ghbouring countries.  Ne vertheless, a regional 
integration project is under way within the Gamb ia River Basin Development Organisation (OMVG), 
with financing from the AfDB, in order to study th e possibilities for integrating the electricity market 
of the four countries belonging to the organization, and the joint exploitation of hydraulic resources 
deemed to be of regional interest, together with  the construction of a network for transport and 
regional distribution of electricity.
70 
(4) MANUFACTURING  
159. According to the recent Investors Guide pub lished by the Chamber of Commerce, Industry 
and Agriculture (CCIA), manufacturing is confined to a few agri-food or timber processing industries.  
Currently, with only a few hours of electricity each day, Guinea-Bissau is not yet a suitable place for 
manufacturing.  The only exception is the remark able development of the cashew nut processing 
industry SICAJU, which uses energy generated from recycled cashew nut shells. 
                                                      
69 Online information from the EITI.  Viewed at:  http://eiti.org/fr. 
70 A presentation of this project was viewed at:  http://www.icafrica.org/ 
fileadmin/documents/Water_Meeting_2008/presentations/3.2.B.2_OMVG_FR.pdf. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 230 
  
  160. The Guinean Foundation for Industrial Deve lopment (FUNDEI) project was originally 
financed by the Swedish SIDA, and then became  an independent NGO.  It provided technical 
assistance and financing for a maximum of ten years and for amounts of up to US$145,000.  
According to the World Bank, FUNDEI had financed  a total of 90 projects, with high rates of 
repayment, up to the beginning of the civil war in 1998, when the rates fell sharply.  Since then, 
FUNDEI has apparently no longer given loans but only advice.71 
(5) TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES  
161. Telecommunications is the sector that has shown the strongest growth following the 
regulatory reforms which boosted foreign private investment.  The mobile telephone market had 
around 700,000 users at the end of 2011, a constant increase in comparison with 500,000 users at the 
end of 2009.  Voice transmission is the main servi ce provided, with teledens ity of around 39 per cent 
at the end of 2010.  The rate of Internet connection, however, is less than 1 per cent, one of the lowest 
in the region, partly because of particularly high prices. 
162. The infrastructure for fixed telephony services is in a very poor state.  According to the 
authorities, it takes around one month and CFAF 30, 000 to obtain a fixed telephone line from the 
traditional State operator Guine Telecom (Guin ea-Bissau telecommunications company), the only 
supplier of fixed telephony services.  The State Secretariat for Transport and Communications determines policy in this sector. 
163. Two private mobile telephony companies comp ete with Guine Telecom and its subsidiary 
Guinetel, which provides mobile telephony services unde r the first mobile telephony licence.  Details 
of the tender and the content of the three telecomm unications licences are either not published or not 
available.  The second mobile telephony licence was granted for ten years in 2004 to the South African Group MTN, which operates under the trade name Spacetel Gu inea-Bissau (Areeba).  
Senegal's Sonatel (owned by France Télécom) has had the third mobile telephony licence since 
May 2007, also for ten years, and opera tes under the trade name Orange Bissau. 
164. Orange Bissau is active on the mobile communi cations (2G), Internet and fixed voice markets 
using IP voice technology;  i.e., it does not use a fixed network.  At the end of 2009, Orange had a 
25 per cent share of the mobile telephony mark et.  It covers the Bissau-Ziguinchor and 
Bissau-Conakry axes, the country's main economic routes. 
165. New legislation regulating telecommunications was adopted by Guinea-Bissau's Parliament 
in 2010 to replace the 1999 Law, together with four implementing Decrees.
72  The main changes made 
to Guinea-Bissau's telecommunications regime by this legislation consist of the greater degree of 
administrative and financial independence given to the regulatory body, which has become the 
National Regulatory Agency (ARN), although it does not yet have a website.  According to the authorities, the legislation does not contain any rest rictions on market access or national treatment for 
foreign suppliers. 
                                                      
71 Online information from FUNDEI.  Viewed a t:  http://www.fundei.net/index.php?option=com_ 
content&view=article&id=58:campanha-de-comerciali zacao-da-castanha-de-caju- 20092010-&catid=34:noticias
. 
72 Law No. 5/2010, Basic Law on Information and Communications Technology;  Decree No. 13/2010 
approving the regulations on the interconnection regime;  Decree No. 14/2010 approving the regulations for 
controls, penalties and settlement of disputes;  Decree No. 15/2010 approving the regulations for public consultation procedures;  Decree No. 16/2010 approving the regulations on the supply of information and 
communications networks and services. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 231 
 
 
  166. The ARN approves the rates for interconnection among operators.  If a new operator emerges, 
the ARN advises the State, which decides whether or not to grant an additional licence;  according to 
the ARN, this has not yet been the case.  If operators  fail to comply with their specifications, the ARN 
may impose fines, and it did so in 2011-2012 because of  failure to publish annual reports and the poor 
quality of the service.  In addition, a decree from 2011 creates a Universal Access Fund, to be 
financed from 2012 onwards by a 1 per cent levy on operators' turnover.73 
167. Orange Bissau dominates the local Internet mark et, with a declared market share of 75 per 
cent, or around 1,000 users.  Development of the Inte rnet is constrained by the lack of electricity in 
the country and by the cost:  according to the ARN, in February the cost of a 512 Kb/second Internet 
connection with Orange Bissau was CFAF 349,000 (€532) per month (plus an installation fee of 
CFAF 319,000).  Also according to the ARN, the Law does not contain any provisions to effectively combat anti-competitive practices by operators.  Fo r example, the ARN states that it is not in a 
position to impose the sharing of their infrastructure on operators, even though this is required by the 
new legislation. 
168. In 2009, Orange launched high-speed Internet us ing fibre-optic land-based transmission loops 
between Dakar and all neighbouring countries, includ ing Guinea-Bissau.  Sonatel is the co-owner of 
several submarine cables linked to Dakar, notably  the SAT3/WASC/SAFE and the Atlantis-2 system. 
169. Guinea-Bissau was not in a position to link up to  the new fibre-optic submarine cable system 
called Africa Coast to Europe (ACE), linking some 30 countries over 17,000 km, when the cable-laying ship passed along its coast in 2011.  Th is submarine cable, which is expected to start 
operating in 2012, should make traffic more secure  and cover future capacity requirements.  The 
Government was considering joining the link, at much higher cost, in 2012. 
170. The Government has not yet privatized Guine Telecom or Guinetel, which are both 100 per 
cent State-owned and are bankrupt.  The Government  has received a subsidy of CFAF 7 billion 
(€10.7 million) from the AfDB so that their finances can show a balance before they are privatized. 
(6) T
RANSPORT SERVICES  
(i) Air transport 
171. The airport at Bissau is the country's only international airport.  In 2009, there 
were 968 aircraft movements carrying a total of  58,000 passengers and 280 tonnes of freight.74  The 
airport is under-utilized, with a maximum of two international flights each day coming from or going to Casablanca (Morocco), Dakar (Senegal), Lisbon (P ortugal) and Praïa (Cape Verde).  There is very 
little competition and prices are high.  These factors considerably constrain the country's export 
potential, particularly for tourism services and perishable products. 
172. Since 2005, air transport has been controlled by  the Civil Aviation Agency of Guinea-Bissau 
(AAC-GB), an agency that is in principle indepe ndent and has financial autonomy within the State 
Secretariat for Transport and Communications, wh ich is the government body responsible for the 
                                                      
73 Decree No. 17/2011 of 25 February 2011, transposing the provisions in the  ECOWAS 
Supplementary Act A/SA 6/01/07 on Universal Access/Service, and WAEMU Directive No. 04/2006/CM/UEMOA relating to universal service (common report, Chapter IV(6)). 
74 Online information from ASECNA.  Viewed at:  http://www.asecna.aero. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 232 
  
  sector.75  Any person wishing to operate an air transport service in Guinea-Bissau must obtain an 
operating authorization from the AAC.  In addition to  the four international airlines serving the airport 
at Bissau and in the absence of lo cal companies, some Senegalese companies provide air taxi services 
in Guinea-Bissau. 
173. The authorities have indicated that Guinea-Bi ssau applies the WAEMU provisions and those 
in the Yamoussoukro Declaration on air transport (c ommon report, Chapter IV(6)) and that there are 
no restrictions on foreign presence, as regards either traffic rights or the establishment of a commercial presence.  Air transport services have been the subject of a number of bilateral agreements, essentially dealing with third and fourth  freedom rights.  For example, a 2011 agreement 
on air services with the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco provides for the sharing of traffic 
rights without any reference to the Yamoussoukro D eclaration as Morocco has not signed it.  On the 
other hand, the 2010 Agreement with Togo and that of 2011 with Cape Verde refer explicitly to the 
Declaration.  In 1975, Guinea-Bissau also signed an  agreement with Portugal and this is reportedly 
being revised. 
174. Ground services at Bissau airport (passengers and freight) are provided solely by a 
government-owned company, the SAA, which determ ines the rates following approval by the AAC.  
Up to December 2011, the commercia l management of airports was the responsibility of the national 
company for Guinea-Bissau's airports (ENAG) , a government-owned company.  Since then, 
ASECNA has been responsible for operating the airport. 
(ii) Maritime transport and port services 
175. Guinea-Bissau has no international transport fleet flying the national flag. 
176. All the available studies describe Guinea-Bissau's port structure as greatly deteriorated, which 
constitutes a bottleneck for international trade and for foreign direct investment.  Since 2007, these 
studies have highlighted the link between the high co st and poor quality of po rt services, on the one 
hand, and the serious infrastructure and regulation problems on the other.  The authorities are aware 
that implementation of the recommendations in th ese studies, summarized below, is essential for the 
recovery and growth of Guinea-Bissau's economy. 
177. These problems explain in part the sharp dec line in the number of ships using the port 
between 2006 and 2010.  In  2006, 381 ships docked at Bissau port, just over one a day, of which:  
87 container ships, 126 bulk carriers, 27 oil tanke rs and 141 fishing vessels.  By 2010, the total 
number had fallen to 245, the sharpest decline be ing in bulk carriers (from 126 to 43).  Tonnage 
nevertheless increased by 30 per cent in four years,  reaching 1.27 million tonnes.  This could be a 
reflection of the increasing use of cont ainers for exports of cashew nuts. 
178. The main import cargoes were rice, cement, and used vehicles.  Over 12,500 TEU containers 
entered Guinea-Bissau in 2010.  According to the st atistics available, the cost of a container from 
Europe (Portugal) to Bissau may range from €2,550 ( 20 foot) to €3,850 (40 foot), whereas for the port 
at Dakar the cost is €1,830 and for Conakry €2,000 (20 foot). 
179. The port is managed by a government enterprise, the Guinea-Bissau Ports Administration 
(APGB), under the responsibility of the State Secr etariat for Transport and Communications.  The 
                                                      
75 Decree No. 3-A/2005 crea ting the Civil Aviation Agency of Guinea-Bissau.  This Decree transposes 
the provisions in Directive No. 1/2004/CMUEMOA (common report, Chapter IV(6)). Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 233 
 
 
  APGB has legal, administrative and financial aut onomy and has a website that is fairly regularly 
updated.76 
180. The APGB was created in 1999 after the Government had unilaterally renounced the 
concession for the port given to the Portuguese Group Ter tir in December 1999.  It would appear that 
not all the financial aspects of the takeover of Ter tir have been resolved and a dispute amounting to 
US$5 billion remains an obstacle to the granting of concessions or a public-private partnership.  The 
APGB therefore continues to act both as the port authority and as the sole cargo handler. 
181. Since 2008, Guinea-Bissau has b een advised to initiate the APGB's withdrawal from port 
operations in favour of specialized private comp anies, under a concession regime, and to limit the 
APGB's role to that of port authority.  For this purpose, a new decree-law of 2011 would make the 
APGB a service provider with a view to its services being put out to concession.  Another decree-law 
of 2011 reportedly also establishes a port maritime institute. 
182. In theory, dredging is part of the APGB's pub lic monopoly, but the port was last dredged in 
1972 and is becoming shallower each year.  The maximum draught for a vessel entering the port is ten metres, which makes freight more costly.  Th ere are also several sunken vessels lying around the 
port.  The approaches and the port itself need to be  dredged to a depth sufficient to allow vessels to 
enter before a concession can be granted so that the State can obtain the maximum amount for the 
concession.  The system of navigation aids, which is also the responsibility of the APGB, has not been 
operating for several years and this constitutes a navi gation hazard.  As a result, ships only enter and 
leave the port in daylight.  The cost of dredging the port and rehabilitating the maritime navigation 
aids is estimated by the authorities to be around €1 5 million, for which financing is being negotiated 
with the West African Development Bank (BOAD). 
183. The little cargo handling equipment which the port possessed was out of service up to 2011, 
but rehabilitation appears to be under way.  As a resu lt, the number of containers dealt with each hour 
has apparently risen from 10-13 to 18.  As a co mparison, the neighbouring port of Dakar handles an 
average of 20 containers each hour.  The port fees ar e determined by the State and are available on the 
APGB's website.  According to the port, the only reason they are high is the lack of efficiency. 
184. The situation of the (State) management of the port area for goods (storage yards and 
warehouses) is described as chaotic.  The space available can take 5,000 containers, 
whereas 12,500 arrive annually and current storage requirements are reportedly for 30,000 containers.  
The storage yard is in an advanced state of deteri oration and constitutes a danger for the movement of 
machinery and workers, and a large number of movements are not productive.
77  According to the 
authorities, the APGB is considering building a container park for 72,000 TEU containers. 
185. There is apparently no inter-user forum for dial ogue bringing together all stakeholders in the 
port community (port, customs, Chamber of Commer ce, customs brokers, forwarding agents, shipping 
agents, importers/exporters, etc.) to make it easier to resolve disputes.  The working regime in the port 
is antiquated and is not conducive to higher pro ductivity (dockers earn the same amount each day 
irrespective of productivity). 
                                                      
76 Online information from the Port of Guinea- Bissau.  Viewed at:  http://www.portosda/ 
guinebissau.com. 
77 One importer pointed out that it had to move 30 containers unnecessarily in order to reach its own 
container. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 234 
  
  186. The International Ship and Port Facility Secu rity Code (ISPS Code) of the International 
Maritime Organization is not implem ented.  This Code was adopted in order to improve the security 
of ships and port facilities to prevent their use fo r terrorism purposes.  Its introduction would improve 
security in the area of the port and lessen the frequent theft of goods. 
187. Overall, the rehabilitation of the port should long ha ve been the main priority in terms of the 
country's economic development and been the subj ect of a comprehensive development programme.  
In 2008, a study already identified the reforms to be implemented in order to improve port services.78  
There is therefore keen competition from Gambian a nd Senegalese ports, accessible since the building 
of two new bridges in the north of the country.  According to the World Bank, 15 per cent of the 
volume of cashew nuts appears to go through other ports, as smuggled goods, as well as 10 per cent of 
the volume of imports. 
(iii) Land transport 
188. The WTO Secretariat has not received any info rmation concerning the regulation of road 
transport services in Guinea-Bissau.  There would no t appear to be any restrictions on the supply of 
road transport services based on nationality.  Licen ces may be given to foreign firms for passenger 
(intra- or inter-urban) or goods transport. 
189. According to the information available, the main road network ( Estradas Nacionais ) has 
recently been the subject of several rehabilitation projects financed by the European Union, which 
also financed the building of two bridges in 2005 and 2009 linking Bissau and Ziguinchor in Senegal, 
and then to the port at Banjul in Gambia, maki ng it a potential competitor with the port at Bissau.  
There is no rail transport in Guinea-Bissau. 
(7) TOURISM SERVICES  
190. The authorities have provided the WTO Secretariat with copies of two decrees dating 
from 1989 and 1992 on the regulation of tourism facilities and on the establishment of a fund to 
promote this sector.79  According to official statistics, 1,040 tourists visited Guinea-Bissau in the first 
quarter of 2010, one quarter of them on business tr ips, around one third for family reasons, and only 
56 for tourism.  Only one of the 913 non-reside nts having entered Guinea-Bissau, in the second 
quarter of 2010, had visited th e country for tourism purposes. 
191. In 2006, Guinea-Bissau's Ministry of Touris m and Urban and Rural Planning announced a 
vast programme for the building and rehabilitation of hotels and other tourist facilities throughout the 
country as part of the implementation of a plan to revive the tourism sector.  According to the press, 
the Government is aiming to achieve four objectives through this policy:  to assist the recovery of 
Guinea-Bissau's faltering economy;  to make av ailable additional funds generated by taxes and 
charges in order to pay the wages of public serva nts;  to create jobs to reverse the endemic 
unemployment among young people;  and to make Gu inea-Bissau better known abroad.  It was not 
possible to meet the authorities responsible for this se ctor in order to find out what had been achieved 
five years later.  
                                                      
78 CESO CI - Consultores Internacionais, S.A. (2008). 
79 These are Decree No. 33/89 approving the regulations on the tourism fund tax, and Decree No. 62/92 
approving the regulations on tourist developments. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 235 
 
 
  (8) FINANCIAL SERVICES  
(i) Insurance 
192. It was not possible to meet with the direct orate responsible for regulating insurance in 
Guinea-Bissau or to obtain information on Guinea-Bi ssau's insurance sector.  It would appear to 
comprise three insurance companies, plus a number of  brokers.  As an international treaty ratified by 
Guinea-Bissau, the Code of the Inter-African Conf erence on Insurance Markets (CIMA) has force of 
law in the country.  Maritime, river or air insuranc e contracts, as well as reinsurance contracts, are 
excluded from the Code's scope.  Compulsory insura nce includes third-party motor vehicle insurance 
(see common report, (Chapter IV(8)). 
(ii) Other financial services 
193. The establishment of a financial sector to pr ovide access to finance for economic activities, 
including import and export pr oduction operations, is a preconditi on for Guinea-Bissau's economic 
development.  Guinea-Bissau does not at present have  a financial sector capable of providing farmers 
with the loans they need to pr oduce or processing industries with the capital required to develop.80  
Priority should be given to microfinance so as to encourage agricultural development and fish farming 
on a small scale. 
194. Only four banks are operating81, represented by the Professional Association of Banks and 
Financial Establishments82, including the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) agency83, 
which has acted as the central bank since Guinea-Bissau acceded to WAEMU in 1997.  
Guinea-Bissau has around 20 microfinance institutions  registered with the BCEAO as decentralized 
financial systems (DFS).  Ther e are no development banks or agricultural credit banks.  
Guinea-Bissau does not make any public offeri ng on the WAEMU bond market in the form of 
treasury bills or commercial paper.  The increas e in foreign direct investment in 2009 (from 
CFAF 5.6 billion to CFAF 8.3 billion) is a reflection of the increase in the capital of certain banks in implementation of the WAEMU's community provisions (see common report, Chapter IV(8)). 
                                                      
80 World Bank (2010). 
81 Banco da Uniao (BDU), Banque régionale de solidarité (BRS), Ecobank Guinée-Bissau, Banco da 
Africa Ocidental (BAO). 
82 E-mail address:  apbef_gb@orange-bissau.com. 
83 E-mail address:  courrier.sdn@.bceao.int. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 236 
  
  V. AID FOR TRADE 
(1) INTRODUCTION  
195. Through its National Development Plan (D ENARP II), Guinea-Bissau has undertaken to 
develop its economy, eradicate poverty and improve its  population's well-being.  The country is at the 
post-conflict stage and is weak so to achieve t hose objectives it must add to its own efforts and 
mobilize adequate and predictable external resources to enable it to finance the numerous needs it has 
to meet. 
196. Accordingly, in April 2011, Guinea-Bissau adopt ed an aid policy that was the subject of 
widespread consultation at the national level, but also  with development partners, in order to draw up 
a resource mobilization strategy and find partners  to support its economic a nd social development. 
197. The overall cost of DENARP II is estimated to be CFAF 227 billion, 43.5 per cent of which is 
to be financed by external resources.  This show s how important it is to mobilize aid, including Aid 
For Trade, so that by 2015 Guinea-Bissau will have reached its Millennium Development Goals. 
(2) INTEGRATION OF TRADE INTO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY  
(i) National development strategy 
198. The first poverty reduction strategy paper (D ENARP I), which defined the Government's 
approaches, strategies and commitments for povert y reduction and achievement of the Millennium 
Development Goals, was approved in 2004, then re vised in 2005 and 2006, before being put before a 
round table on dialogue and resource mobilizati on in Geneva in November 2006.  DENARP I only 
started to be implemented in practice in 2007 an d should have run up to 2009.  It was, however, 
extended to 2010 in expectation of a new strategy to cover the period 2011-2015. 
199. The four main pillars of DENARP I were:84  (i) strengthening and modernizing government 
administration and ensuring economic stability;  (ii)  promoting economic growth and job creation;  
(iii) expanding access to social services and basic in frastructure;  and (iv) raising the standard of 
living of vulnerable sectors of the population. 
200. The GDP growth target in DENARP I was around 5 per cent, but this could not be achieved 
during the period 2007-2008 both because of the count ry's political and institutional weaknesses, the 
State's poor financial capacity and the effects of th e petroleum, food and inte rnational economic crisis. 
201. DENARP II adopted the following four strategic axes:  (i) to strengthen the rule of law and 
republican institutions;  (ii) to guarantee a stab le and stimulating macroeconomic environment;  
(iii) to promote inclusive and sustainable economi c development;  and (iv) to raise the level of 
development of human capital. 
202. The main priorities identified in the Diagnostic  Trade Integration Study (DTIS) have been 
incorporated into axis 3 of DENARP II85, "to encourage sustainable ec onomic development" in the 
following areas:  (i) development of basic economic infrastructure;  (ii) improving the business 
environment and promoting the private sector;  and (iii) support for sectors with growth potential. 
                                                      
84 IMF (2010). 
85 Second National Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper - DENARP II 2011-2015, page 124.  Document 
transmitted by the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration (MEPIR). Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 237 
 
 
  203. It is estimated that CFAF 227 billion will be needed  to finance the strategy, 43.5 per cent of it 
from external resources.  It should also be noted that  fluctuations in the prices of agricultural products, 
particularly cashew nuts, which are Guinea-Bissau's ma jor export, also constitute a risk that may have 
an impact on mobilization of resources. 
(ii) Integrated Framework 
204. Guinea-Bissau has taken part in the Integr ated Framework for Trade-Related Technical 
Assistance since 2006.  This programme is intended to help least developed countries to integrate 
trade into their national development strategies so  that they can participate more fully in the 
multilateral trading system and thereby contribut e to economic growth a nd poverty reduction.  A 
preliminary mission took place in March 2006 to discuss the objectives and priorities in 
Guinea-Bissau's DTIS, followed by a main mission of  national and internati onal consultants from the 
World Bank in May-June 2008.  The DTIS was finalized  in 2009 and, together with its priority action 
matrix, was endorsed at a national workshop he ld in Bissau from 20 to 23 October 2009.  
Guinea-Bissau has also introduced domestic me asures to implement the Integrated Framework 
programme, namely, the National Steering Committee, the Focal Point, and the 
National Implementation Unit, whose coordinator has also been appointed. 
205. The in-depth analysis of Guin ea-Bissau's trade policy in the DT IS made it possible to identify 
the constraints and obstacles that hindered the deve lopment of foreign trade and at the same time 
those sectors of the economy which afforded potential for exports and poverty reduction.  
Cross-cutting issues such as improving the bus iness environment, governance, development of 
infrastructure and telecommunications were also highlighted.  Agricultural subsectors, especially 
cashew nuts, which are the main source of export earnings, fisheries, tourism and the extractive 
industries were identified as priorities. 
206. The DTIS matrix defines 28 priority ac tions under eight headings as follows:  
(i) macroeconomy;  (ii) creating a favourable business environment, and finance;  (iii) energy and 
telecommunications;  (iv) transport and customs;  (v) agriculture;  (vi) extractive industries;  
(vii) tourism;  and (viii) fisheries.  Most of the priority recommendations made are either being 
implemented or will be implemented within one year. 
207. Guinea-Bissau has also been awarded US$1 milli on under Tier 1 of the Enhanced Integrated 
Framework (EIF) to step up national measures for im plementing the EIF in the country, especially the 
capacities of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Tourism and Crafts. 
(iii) Supply-side constraints 
208. A certain number of factors hinder the deve lopment of investment and production in 
Guinea-Bissau.  There are marked shortcomings in infrastructure, particularly as regards electricity, 
production of which does not suffice to meet the countr y's needs, the road network, the port of Bissau, 
which does not offer the best conditions for up-to-dat e operations, and airport infrastructure, which is 
at an advanced state of deterioration.86  Efforts have recently been made as regards electricity, with a 
subsidy of US$2.2 million from the World Bank in  May 2011 to boost the water and electricity 
sectors.  This financing is but the first step toward s larger investment with a view to reforming these 
sectors.  It should be emphasized that Guinea-Bissau  is facing a structural deficit in the production 
and distribution of electricity.  While demand is est imated to be 30 MW, the supply of electricity is 
                                                      
86 World Bank press release of 18 May 2011.  Viewed at:  http://appablog.wordpress.com/ 
2011/05/18/Guinee-bissau-une-subvention-pour-doubler-la-capacite-de-production-en-electricite/. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 238 
  
  only 3 MW, and seven of the nine generators be longing to the national electricity company have 
broken down. 
209. As regards the agricultural sector, the West African Development Bank (BOAD) granted a 
loan of around CFAF 4.8 billion in 2009 to help in  financing an agricultural project that included the 
restoration of 1,200 hectares of mangrove rice paddi es to produce an additional 4,000 tonnes of paddy 
rice and 100 tonnes of garden produce.  The World Bank was also a signatory.  Regarding the mining 
sector and the country's abundant resources, estimated at 100 million tonnes in the case of bauxite, in 2009 Angola signed a bauxite mining agreement,  together with the building of a deep-water 
mineral ore port, estimated at US$320 million, togeth er with a 100 km railway.  The port is expected 
to start operating in 2018. 
(iv) Needs in terms of Aid for Trade and trade-related technical assistance 
210. In 2008, Guinea-Bissau undertook an assessment of its trade and trade-related technical 
assistance needs.
87  In 2008 as well, a study funded by the European Union was conducted through the 
TradeCom Facility.  This identified technical assistan ce needs which the DTIS, with its priority action 
matrix endorsed in 2009, confirmed.  The following needs, inter alia , were identified:  (i) to increase 
the agricultural sector's productivity and competitiven ess (rice, cashew nuts), and its diversification;  
(ii) to improve infrastructure, energy, ports, stor age warehouses, and road networks in order to bring 
production areas out of their isolation;  and (iii)  to facilitate trade by setting up a single window, 
streamlining customs procedures, introducing the ASYCUDA++ system, building juxtaposed border 
posts and training human resources. 
(3) AID-FOR-TRADE ASSISTANCE  
(i) Overview of development aid flows in the economy 
211. Guinea-Bissau is a West African country in a post-conflict situation.  For over a decade it has 
been through political and military cr ises that have weakened governme nt institutions and hindered its 
economic and social development.  Guinea-Bissau is largely dependent on  Official Development 
Assistance (ODA) to finance its budget and implem ent its development policies.  ODA in 2008 was 
estimated to be US$132 million and accounted for 31. 2 per cent of gross national income, over 20 per 
cent of budgetary expenditure and 95 per cen t of the Public Investment Programme.88 
212. ODA in Guinea-Bissau was US$81 million in 2006  and in 2007 attained US$122 million as a 
result of the commitments made by donors at the round table organized in Geneva in 2006 on 
financing for the first Poverty Reduction Strategy  (DENARP I) (Table V.1).  This strategy should 
originally have covered the period 2006-2008, but owing to a number of factors such as the 
unpredictability of aid, the country's low capacity for absorption and adjustme nts needed as a result of 
developments in the economic and social contex t, from the beginning it was expected that the 
DENARP would most likely have to be extended beyond the 2008 limit.  The round table originally 
planned for 2005 was postponed until November 2 007.  Consequently, the three years 2006-2008 
were brought forward by a year to cover 2007-2009, with 2010 as a transitional year. 
213. Aid as a percentage of GDP shows a risi ng trend in 2006 and 2007, from 26.3 per cent 
to 32.2 per cent, followed by a decline to 31.2 per cent.  The aid actually received by Guinea-Bissau 
                                                      
87 CESO-CI International Consultants S.A., (2008). 
88 IMF Country Report, May 2010. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 239 
 
 
  cannot be precisely determined, however, as a larg e percentage is not recorded under national 
budgetary procedures but rather goes through th e distribution channels specific to donors. 
214. For the period 2007-2009, on the basis of di sbursements made, multilateral aid accounted 
for 79 per cent of total aid and bilateral aid for 21 pe r cent.  The major participants are the EU (36 per 
cent), the United Nations system (24 per cent), th e World Bank (12 per cent), Portugal (11 per cent), 
Spain (10 per cent), the AfDB (4 per cent) and the Global Trust Fund (3 per cent) (Table V.2). 
Table V.1 
Trend in ODA, 2006-2008 
2006 2007 2008 
Net ODA (US$ million) 81 122 132 
Percentage of bilateral aid 49%  36% 40% 
Net ODA as a ratio of gross national income 26.3% 32.7% 31.2% 
Source :  OECD. 
Table V.2 
Areas of intervention of the major development partnersa, 2007-2009  
Technical and financial partners (TFP) and a reas of intervention Percentage of assistance 
European Union 
(Governance, including elections/security, economi c and financial governance and infrastructure) 36 
United Nations system 
(Governance, including security, education, health, agriculture)  24 
World Bank 
(Economic and financial governance, energy, health and agriculture) 12 
Portugal 11 
Spain 10 
African Development Bank 
(Economic and financial governance, road networks, energy) 4 
Global Trust Fund 3 
Total 100 
a This table does not include the most recen t data on disbursements and effective commit ments.  Information on intentions for t he 
next three years provided by the Government and new partners  such as Angola, China and India gives the following list:  
EU (agriculture, energy/rehabilitation of ro ads, education);  India (health);  BO AD (agriculture, urban roads, energy);  
United Nations system (security, education,  health, agriculture);  China (infrast ructure-courts, agriculture, health);  
World Bank (economic and financial governance, energy, health , agriculture, education);  Angola (security, fisheries);  
ECOWAS/WAEMU (security, energy, environment);  AfDB (economi c and financial governance, education, health, agriculture, 
infrastructure). 
Source : MEPIR/UNDP (2011), Rapport sur la coopération et le développement , and  Document de Stratégie Pays 2012 
2016, République de Guinée-Bissau , African Development Bank Group, November 2011.  Viewed at:  
http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uplo ads/afdb/documents/p rojectsandOperations/Guin%C3%A9%20Bissau%20 
draft%20Document%20de20%Strat%C3A9gie%20Pays%20%282012-2016%29.pdf. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 240 
  
  (ii) Overview of Aid for Trade 
215. Aid-for-Trade flows over the period 2006-2009 in United States dollars (at 2009 constant 
prices) in terms of commitments and di sbursements can be broken down as follows: 
Table V.3 
Aid-for-Trade flows - CRS estimates, 2006-2009 
(2009 constant US$) 
 Commitments Disbursements 
APC categories 2002-2005 
average 2006 2007 2008 2009 2006 2007 2008 2009 
Trade policy and trade-related 
adjustment 57 0 110 310 465 38 91 677 562
Economic infrastructure 20,957 11,782 14,388 186 4,371 23,636 37,066 20,393 18,743
Building production capacity 5,956 11,365 4,822 4,512 12,659 8,630 6,347 7,991 15,586
Focus on trade development .. .. 887 675 2,175 887 675 2,438
Total Aid for Trade  26,971 23,147 19,321 5,008 17,495 32,303 43,504 29,061 34,882
.. Not available. 
Source : OECD-DAC, Aid activity database.  
216. The WTO Secretariat in particular has been ve ry active in providing technical assistance and 
institutional and human capacity building in Guinea- Bissau with a view to the country's more active 
participation in the multilateral trading system .  From 2007 to 2011, the country benefited 
from 77 training activities.  In all, 120 officials took part in 77 training activities. 
217. This training covered the range of activities offered by the WTO Institute for Training and 
Technical Cooperation in Geneva and in other countries.  Trade policy courses and workshops on 
sanitary and phytosanitary measure s (SPS), agriculture, services and trade facilitation have also been 
organized.  This technical assistance largely helped to  give Guinea-Bissau's officials better training in 
trade and development-related issues. 
218. The Standards and Trade Development Fac ility (STDF) granted financing amounting 
to US$274,300 for a project to build basi c SPS institutional capacity in Guinea-Bissau.89  This action 
by the STDF will also enable the legal and regulat ory framework to be update d and will give further 
training to 15 officials in the control of health and quality aspects for food products, as well as 
81 inspection technicians.  All of these will also  be trained in certification, thus enabling 
Guinea-Bissau's exports to be in a position to  meet the requirements of foreign markets. 
(4) MATCHING NEEDS AND ASSISTANCE  
(i) National coordination mechanisms 
(a) Mechanism for the national coordination of ODA 
219. Although ODA accounts for almost three quarters of Guinea-Bissau's government spending 
and it recently signed the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (in August 2010)90, its coordination 
                                                      
89 Online information.  Viewed at:  http:// www.standarsfacility.org /en/PGPProStat.htm. 
90 2012-2016 Country Strategy Paper, Republic of Guinea-Bissau.  African Development Bank Group, 
November 2011.  Viewed at: http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/documents/projectsand Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 241 
 
 
  and monitoring mechanisms for assistance are not very  efficient because of the structural weaknesses 
of government authorities. 
220. In general, internal coordi nation (among government agencies) and external coordination 
(between the Government and donors), and among donor s themselves, are still inadequate despite the 
efforts made in certain areas, particularly in re lation to budgetary support, for which a consultation 
framework was introduced in February 2009.  Its members meet every quarter. 
221. With assistance from UNDP, in April 2011 Guin ea-Bissau produced an aid policy document 
for the country, whose main objective is to allow th e Government to take the lead in managing and 
coordinating aid so that the latter makes an effective contribution to achieving the national 
development objectives and priorities. 
(b) Mechanism for coordination of Aid for Trade 
222. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Tourism and Crafts is respons ible for implementing 
trade-related policy.  This Ministry does not, however , play any official role in coordinating Aid for 
Trade, even though it is in charge of the Enha nced Integrated Framework Programme within the 
Government.  It must be emphasized that the coor dinator of the National Implementation Unit chaired 
the Thematic Sub-Committee on Trade and Regional  Integration set up in connection with the 
preparation of DENARP II (2011-2015). 
223. It is to be hoped that in the institutional arrangements for implementing, monitoring and 
evaluating DENARP II there will be a mechanism for monitoring and coordinating Aid for Trade.  
The Ministry responsible for trade, in cooperation w ith development partners and the Ministry of the 
Economy, Planning and Regional Integration, shoul d take the necessary measures for this purpose. 
(ii) Monitoring and evaluation 
224. Because of the shortcomings of the national statistical mechanism, inter alia , 
monitoring/evaluation was not effective during impl ementation of DENARP I.  This is why, with 
support from development partners , in particular the World Bank, AfDB, UNDP and WAEMU, 
Guinea-Bissau received assistance to enhance its economic and financial governance.  For 
DENARP II, monitoring/evaluation expertise will be made  available to the Government to enable it to 
effectively direct implementation of the strategy. 
(5) OUTLOOK FOR AID FOR TRADE  
225. Guinea-Bissau's outlook for Aid For Trade will depend to a large extent on the country's 
capacity to maintain a climate of political and ins titutional stability that will allow the reforms already 
under way to continue so as to build the State's ca pacity to implement efficient economic and social 
policies. 
226. There is political will among the development pa rtners, as well as the regional integration 
organizations, to help Guinea-Bissau to implemen t its DENARP II national development strategy.  
The EU, AfDB and the World Bank all have pr ogrammes for the next two to five years.  
South-South cooperation has also become closer in  recent years, with countries such as Angola, 
China, Brazil and India being very active a nd intending to remain so in the future. 
                                                                                                                                                                     
Operations/Guin%C3%A9e%20Bissau%20Drafft%20Document%20de20%Strat%C3A9gie%20Pays%20% 
282012-2016%29.pdf. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 243 
 
 
  REFERENCES 
 
World Bank (2010), Diagnostic Trade Integration Study , Report No. 54145-GW, May.  
 
World Bank (2007, 2011 and 2012), Doing Business 2007, 2011 and 2012 .  Viewed at:  
http://francais.doingbusiness.org/~/media/fpdkm /doing%20business/documents/profiles/country/GNB
.pdf and http://www.doingbusiness.org/ data/exploreeconomies/guinea_bissau/. 
 CESO CI - Consultores Internacionais, S.A. (2008), Évaluation des besoins du commerce et de 
l'assistance technique liée au commerce pour la Guinée-Bissau (Assessment of trade and trade-related 
technical assistance needs for Gu inea-Bissau), study conducted for the TradeCom Facility programme 
(AOR. 24-P05), Final report - provisional version.  Food and Agriculture Organization of  the United Nations (FAO) (2011), Plan d'action pour la gestion 
des risques de catastrophes en Guinée-Bissau 2011-13 (Disaster risk management action plan for 
Guinea-Bissau 2011-2013) .  Viewed at:  http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/tc/tce/pdf/ 
Guinea_Bissau_ PoA.pdf.  International Monetary Fund (IMF) (2010), Guinea- Bissau:  Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper - 
Second Annual Progress Report, December.  View ed at:  http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/ 
scr/2010/cr10381.pdf. 
 Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration (2011), Deuxième document de  stratégie 
nationale pour la réduction de la pauvreté (Second national poverty redu ction strategy paper) , 
June,  Bissau.  
 
Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (undated), Rapport sur la mise en oeuvre de la 
stratégie nationale et le plan d'action su r la diversité biologique en Guinée-Bissau (Report on the 
implementation of the national biodi versity strategy and action plan in Guinea-Bissau).  Viewed at:  
http://www.cbd.int/doc/nbsap/nbsapcbw- wafr-01/nbsapcbw-wafr-01-gw-01-fr.pdf. 
 
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2009), République de Guinée-Bissau, Ministère 
de l'économie, du plan et de l'intégration régionale,  Rapport de suivi et évaluation du Document de 
stratégie nationale de réduction de la pauvreté (DENARP) (Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Ministry of 
the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration, Monitoring and evaluation report on the national 
poverty reduction strategy paper), Bissau .  Viewed at: http://www.gw.undp.org/ 
rapports/Rapport_suivi_DENARP_2009.pdf. 
 West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAE MU) (2010), Foreign Private Capital Capacity 
Building Programme, Rapport sur les actifs et passifs étrang ers et perception d es investisseurs en 
2009 (Report on foreign liabilities and assets and invest or perception in 2009), December, Bissau. 
  
  APPENDIX TABLES Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 247 
 
 
  Table AI.1 
Structure of imports, 2006-2011 
(US$ million and per cent) 
 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
Total imports (US$ million)  96.3 112.2 123.9 141.5 123.2 149.2 
 (%) 
Total primary products 64.0 54.0 60.9 61.9 58.6 59.5 
Agriculture 41.7 35.9 37.9 41.3 38.4 40.7 
Food 40.9 35.2 37.0 40.7 37.8 39.9 
0423 Rice, semi-milled or wholly milled 15.2 13.2 14. 2 14.8 10.3 13.9 
1122 Fermented beverages, n.e.s. (e.g., cider, perry, mead) 3.5 3.6 4.2 3.1 3.6 3.7 
0461 Flour of wheat or of meslin 4.3 3.2 3.4 3.7 4.1 3.3 
0611 Sugars, beet or cane, raw, in solid  form, not containing added flavouring or 
colouring matter 3.2 2.1 2.2 3.5 4.0 2.8 
1121 Wine of fresh grapes;  grape must  in fermentation or with fermentation 
arrested 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.4 2.0 2.0 
4211 Soya bean oil and its fractions 1.6 2.8 1.3 3.5 1.8 1.8 
0612 Other beet or cane sugar and pure sucrose, in solid form 0.8 1.0 1.3 1.0 1.2 1.6 
1110 Non-alcoholic beverages, n. e.s. 0.7 0.7 0.7 1.0 1.0 1.2 
1222 Cigarettes containing tob acco 0.2 0.4 0. 2 1.0 1.3 1.0 
0989 Food preparations, n.e.s. 0.4 0.7 0.9 0.6 1.7 0.9 
0599 Juice of any single fruit (other than citr us) or vegetable;  mixtures of fruit or 
vegetable juices 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.8 
Agricultural raw materials 0.9 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.8 
Mining 22.2 18.1 23.0 20.6 20.2 18.8 
Ores and other minerals 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 
Non-ferrous metals 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 
Fuels 22.0 17.9 23.0 20.5 20.0 18.5 
3340 Group 334 not defined 21.9 17.7 22.8 20.3 20.0 11.1 
Manufactures 36.0 46.0 39.1 38.1 41.2 40.4 
Iron and steel 2.6 3.3 3.7 3.1 2.2 1.8 
Chemicals 5.0 4.8 3.8 4.8 5.3 5.7 
5429 Medicaments (including veterinary medi caments), n.e.s. 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.7 1.5 1.7 
5541 Soap, paper, wadding, etc., impregnated with soap or detergent 2.7 2.2 1.3 1.7 1.5 1.6 
Other semi-manufactures 8.3 9.8 10.1 9.4 7.1 8.8 
6612 Portland cement, aluminous cement, sl ag cement, supersulphate cement and 
similar hydraulic cements, whether or not coloured or  in the form of clinkers 2.8 4.5 4.6 5.2 2.8 5.0 
Machinery and transport equipment 15.2 24.1 18.0 16.2 20.0 17.0 
Power-generating machinery 1.3 3.9 1.3 0.9 2.3 1.7 
Other non-electrical machinery 1.8 4.4 3.5 2.9 2.1 2.9 
Agricultural machinery and tractors 0.1 0.2 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.3 
Office machines and telecommunications  equipment 1.5 2.4 1.8 4.4 3.8 4.1 
7641 Electrical apparatus for line telephony or  line telegraphy 0.2 0.9 0.8 2.1 0.4 1.7 
Other electrical machinery 2.6 2.3 1.8 2.9 3.9 1.6 
Automotive products 7.4 8.5 8.7 4.3 7.0 5.8 
7812 Motor vehicles for the transport of persons, n.e.s. 4.2 4.6 4.8 1.9 3.6 2.5 
7821 Motor vehicles for the transport of goods 1.4 1.7 2.0 0.9 1.7 1.7 
7831 Motor vehicles for the transport of ten or more  persons, including the driver 1.6 1.2 0.9 0.9 1.3 1.0 
Other transport equipment 0.5 2.6 1.0 0.7 1.0 1.0 
Textiles 0.3 1.0 0.4 0.9 0.8 2.2 
6585 Curtains and other furnishing articles, n.e. s., of textile material s 0 0.2 0 0.6 0.2 1.8 
Clothing 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
Other consumer goods 4.5 2.9 3.1 3.6 5.6 4.7 
Other 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculations based on data (SITC Rev. 3) provided by the authorities. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 248 
  
  Table AI.2 
Structure of exports, 2006-2011 
(US$ million and per cent)  
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
Total exports (US$ million)  57.9 75.7 57.6 86.0 74.4 119.2 
 (%) 
Total primary products 99.0 91.3 95.1 91.7 99.4 99.5 
  Agriculture 96.6 89.5 90.7 88.8 99.3 99.4 
  Food 96.2 89.3 90.2 88.5 98.9 99.4 
  0577 Edible nuts (excluding nuts chiefly used for the extr action of oil), fresh or dried 95.5 88.7 89.3 87.9 98.8 99.2 
  0459 Buckwheat, millet and canary seed;  other cer eals, unmilled, n.e.s. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 
  Agricultural raw materials 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.1 
  2482 Wood of coniferous species, sawn, sliced etc.,  of a thickness exceeding 6 mm 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.1 
  2475 Wood of non-coniferous species, in the rough or r oughly squared, but not treated 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 
  Mining 2.4 1.7 4.4 2.9 0.1 0.0 
  Ores and other minerals 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 
  2821 Waste and scrap of cast iron 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 
       
Manufactures 0.7 8.3 4.2 8.2 0.6 0.5 
  Iron and steel 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 
  6794 Other tubes, pipes and hollow profiles,  of iron or steel 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 
  Other semi-manufactures 0.0 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.5 
  6354 Manufactures of wood for domestic or decorativ e use (excluding furniture) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 
  6345 Fibreboard of wood or other ligne ous materials 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.1 
  6343 Plywood consisting solely of sheets of wood, each ply not exceeding 6 mm 
  thickness 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 
  Machinery and transport equipment 0.5 8.2 3.3 7.5 0.3 0.1 
  Power-generating machinery 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 
  Other non-electrical machinery 0.1 8.1 2.5 5.2 0.1 0.0 
  7234 Construction and mining machinery, n.e.s. 0.0 0.0 1.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 
  Automotive products 0.4 0.1 0.8 1.7 0.2 0.0 
  7821 Motor vehicles for the transport of goods 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 
  7812 Motor vehicles for the transport of persons, n.e.s. 0.4 0.1 0.7 0.2 0.2 0.0 
  Other transport equipment 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 
  Other consumer goods 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculations based on data (SITC Rev. 3) provided by the authorities. Guinea-Bissau WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 
 Page 249 
 
 
  Table AI.3 
Origin of imports, 2006-2011 
(US$ million and per cent)  
 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
Total imports (US$ million) 96.3  112.2  123.9  141. 5  123.2  149.2  
 (%) 
  America 3.5 6.1 6.3 8.1 9.8 6.1 
    United States 0.3 1.3 0.2 0.6 2.0 1.0 
    Other America 3.2 4.8 6.1 7.5 7.8 5.1 
    Brazil 1.2 2.6 4.0 5.9 5.9 4.0 
       
  Europe 35.9 43.5 47.9 52.5 55.5 55.9 
    EU(27) 35.9 43.5 47.6 52.4 54.6 55.4 
    Portugal 22.6 31.6 30.7 31.4 31.2 35.0 
    France 3.9 1.4 3.7 4.9 9.3 5.8 
    Netherlands 7.4 5.5 5.6 8.1 7.0 5.1 
    Spain 1.2 2.7 2.7 4.6 2.1 3.6 
    Germany 0.3 0.8 1.8 1.8 1.6 1.6 
    Italy 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 1.4 1.4 
    Denmark 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.8 1.1 1.1 
    Belgium 0.3 0.2 1.2 0.2 0.5 0.6 
    Malta 0.0 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.4 
    EFTA 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.2 
    Other Europe 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.3 
       
  Commonwealth of Independent Stat es (CIS) 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.0 
       
  Africa 45.4 34.6 26.5 18.9 15.0 20.5 
    Senegal 36.0 27.1 16.9 14.7 10.0 15.2 
    Benin 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 
    Gambia 3.9 2.1 0.8 1.4 1.4 1.0 
    Morocco 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.5 0.6 0.5 
       
  Middle East 0.0 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.6 2.4 
    United Arab Emirates 0.0 1.1 1.4 1.4 1.5 2.3 
       
  Asia 15.1 14.5 17.4 18.9 17.9 15.0 
    China 2.3 0.5 0.7 4.4 4.9 2.1 
    Japan 0.3 1.2 2.2 2.1 3.4 2.1 
    Six East Asian Traders 9.4 9.4 11.3 5.4 1.9 1.2 
    Singapore 0.3 1.3 0.3 0.7 0.8 0.6 
    Other Asia 3.0 3.2 3.2 7.0 7.7 9.6 
    Viet Nam 0.0 0.2 2.2 5.1 3.4 6.2 
    Pakistan 2.6 1.0 0.3 1.1 2.7 2.2 
    India 0.3 2.0 0.4 0.4 1.1 0.5 
    Australia 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.4 
       
  Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculations based on data provided by the authorities. WT/TPR/S/266/GNB/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 250 
  
  Table AI.4 
Destination of exports, 2006-2011 
(US$ million and per cent)  
 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
Total exports (US$ million)  57.9 75.7 57.6 86.0 74.4 119.2 
 (%) 
  America 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 1.2 
    Other America 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 1.2 
    Brazil 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 
       
  Europe 1.9 9.3 8.1 5.7 0.4 1.1 
    EU(27) 1.9 9.3 8.1 5.7 0.4 1.1 
    Portugal 1.1 8.8 3.6 2.1 0.4 1.1 
    Germany 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 
       
  Africa 2.6 1.8 3.8 6.0 0.5 0.2 
    Senegal 2.2 1.1 3.1 5.0 0.1 0.1 
    Cape Verde 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 
    Mauritania 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 
    Sierra Leone 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
    Guinea 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 
    Gambia 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 
       
  Middle East 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 
       
    Asia 95.3 88.7 87.7 88.2 99.0 97.4 
    China 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.3 1.3 1.3 
    Japan 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 
    Six East Asian Traders 29.1 2.1 4.9 0.1 1.4 13.9 
    Singapore 29.1 2.1 4.7 0.1 1.4 13.9 
    Other Asia 66.1 86.5 82.4 87.8 96.3 82.2 
    India 66.1 84.5 82.4 87.8 95.4 81.4 
    Viet Nam 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 
    Pakistan 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 
       
  Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculations based on data provided by the authorities.