RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/TPR/G/153 
14 September 2005  
 
(05-3870) 
Trade Policy Review Body  
   
 
  
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
 
Report by 
 
REPUBLIC OF GUINEA 
 
  
 
Pursuant to the Agreement Establishi ng the Trade Policy Review Mechanism 
(Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade 
Organization), the policy statement by Republic of Guinea is attached. 
 
 
Note: This report is subject to restricted circ ulation and press embargo until the end of the first 
session of the meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body on Republic of Guinea. Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 3 
 
 
CONTENTS 
  
I.
 OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................................... ........5  
II. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT.................................................................................................5  
III. ANALYSIS OF THE EC ONOMY BY SECTOR......................................................................6  
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES.....................................................................................7  
A GENERAL TRADE POLICY OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................7  
B SECTORAL TRADE POLICY OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................7  
(i) Agriculture.................................................................................................................... .7 
(ii) Energy......................................................................................................................... ...8 
(iii) Industry ....................................................................................................................... ...9 
(iv) Mining......................................................................................................................... ...9 
(v) Fishing and livestock production.................................................................................11  
(vi) Services....................................................................................................................... .11 
(vii) Transport...................................................................................................................... 12 
(viii) Telecommunications....................................................................................................15  
(ix) Tourism........................................................................................................................ 17 
(x) Crafts......................................................................................................................... ...17 
V. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPORT AND EXPORT REGIIME ..........................17  
(i) Imports........................................................................................................................ .18 
(ii) Exports........................................................................................................................ .20 
VI. LEGAL AND REGULATORY TRADE POLICY FRAMEWORK .......................................20  
(i) Domestic laws and regulati ons governing the implementation of trade policy ...........20  
(ii) Formulation and review of trade policies ....................................................................20  
(iii) Bilateral, multilateral, regional a nd preferential trade agreements..............................21  
VII. IMPLEMENTATION OF TRADE POLICY...........................................................................22  
(i) Trade policy measures ap plied by Guinea ...................................................................22  
VIII. CURRENT TRADE LIBERALIZATION PROGRAMME IN GUINEA ...............................26  
IX. ECONOMIC REFORM PROGRAMME .................................................................................26  
X. IMPORT AND EXPORT TRENDS.........................................................................................27  
(1) IMPORTS ............................................................................................................................... .....27  
(2) EXPORTS ............................................................................................................................... ....27  
XI. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY GUINEAN PRODUCTS ON FOREIGN 
MARKETS ........................................................................................................................ .......28  
XII. CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................... ....28  
 
  
 Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 5 
 
 
I. OVERVIEW 
1. The Republic of Guinea is situated in the sout h west of West Africa, between latitudes 7° 05 
and 12° 51 north, and longitudes 7° 30 and 15° 10 w est, half way between the Equator and the Tropic 
of Cancer.  It is bounded in the sout h by Liberia and Sierra Leone, in the east by Cote d'Ivoire, and in 
the north by Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Mali. 
2. It is a costal country with an Atlantic coastline of some 300 kilometres in the west.  Its relief 
is varied, and extends from the low altitude costal pl ains to the mountainous areas in the interior of the 
country, occasionally reaching an altitude  of over 1,500 metres.  It is divided into four large natural 
regions, different in climate, topography and s ub-soil:  Guinée Maritime, Moyenne Guinée, Haut 
Guinée and Guinée Forestière.  The climate is tropi cal, with alternating dry and rainy seasons.  The 
country covers an area of 245, 857 square kilometr es an has a population of approximately 8 million, 
i.e. an average density of about 30 inhabitants per square kilometre. 
II. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
3. Following its first appearance before the WTO Trade Policy Review Body in February 1999, 
Guinea pursued its implementation of the reforms be gun in 1986, in the framework of the different 
structural adjustment programmes. 
4. Special emphasis was placed on the poverty reduction strategy as a means of ensuring  
improved living standards for the country's populations  and the maintenance of  a climate of social 
peace and political stability. 
5. To that end, Guinea set itself a number of major objectives to be attained through its 
macroeconomic stabilization prog ramme.  These objectives were set out in its Poverty Reduction 
Strategy Paper (PRSP). 
6. However, in spite of the measures taken to en sure economic growth and development, in the 
early 2000s Guinea suffered a major economic crisis which seriously upset the main macroeconomic 
balances.  This crisis, which aggravated the government budget defic it and led to a massive 
accumulation of domestic and external arrears, was caused chiefly by: 
(a) The prolonged deterioration of the terms of trade owing to the drop in the world 
prices of Guinea's leading export products (coffee, cotton, bauxite, etc.); 
(b) the consequences of the rebel attacks ag ainst Guinea, which represented a significant 
security expense; 
 (c) the burden of refugees (more that 10 per cent of the country's population); 
(d) the major energy crisis (water, electr icity) causing a sharp decline in economic 
activity; 
 (e) the total lack of external assistance over the past few years; 
(f) the general surge in the price of staples, in particular rice, sugar, flour, oil, cement, 
and above all, petroleum products. WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 6 
 
 
7. In order to halt the steady economic and financia l decline, the Guinean authorities launched, 
in 2002, an economic recovery process.  They deci ded to introduce adjustment programmes aimed at 
correcting the economic imbalances and stimulati ng growth.  The following measures were taken: 
− Adoption of a sound policy for the management of public finances; 
− Reduction in government security expenditures, a measure made possible by the 
cessation of the armed conflicts along the Guinean boarder and the decrease in the 
number of refugees from neighbouring countries, where peace had been restored; 
− Partial solution of energy problems th rough the introduction of new equipment 
(thermal power stations and wells); 
− Adoption of a common external tariff in harmony with the WAEMU;  
− Support for the coffee industry by setting up a joint public/private-sector body to 
manage the sector; 
− Broadening of the tax base. 
 8. In spite of their positive impact, these measures we re not enough to fully overcome the crisis;  
indeed, the progression of the relevant indicators re mained insufficient.  Inflation continued to 
increase, reaching two-digit figures by the end of 2004  (29 per cent), and the gap between the official 
Guinean franc/US dollar exchange rate  and the parallel rate widened. 
9. In short, in the light of the socio economic cont ext, the fact is that in spite of Guineas's 
enormous efforts to achieve relatively encouragi ng results, much remains to be done if it hopes to 
improve matters significantly, particularly as regard s its macroeconomic indicators – inflation, budget 
deficit, etc. – and hence the standard of living of the Guinean people. 
III. ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMY BY SECTOR 
10. Between 2000 and 2004, GDP grew at an averag e rate of 2.8 per cent, with a maximum of 
 4.2 per cent in 2002 and a minimum of 1.2 per cent in 2003.  Being less than the population growth 
rate (3.1 per cent), this was not enough to alleviate poverty.  Indeed, the average GDP growth rate per 
capita was -0.3 per cent, with a maximum of 1.1 per cent in 2002 and minimum of -1.8 per cent in 
2003. 
11. Growth in the primary sector, which represents 18.3 per cent of GDP on average, fell short of 
the 5.8 per cent target, reaching an average of 3.4 pe r cent.  This growth is essentially attributable to 
the fishing subsector (5.5 per cent), although its infl uence on the value added of the primary sector is 
limited (0.2 per cent). 
12. The value added of the secondary sector (including mining) represents, on average, 30.9 per 
cent of GDP.  Its average growth rate of 3.4 pe r cent is due to the good performance of the mining 
subsector (2.4 per cent).  Mining continues to play  a leading role in the Guinean economy, accounting 
on average for 16.4 per cent of GDP and approximately  12 thousand permanent jobs (8 per cent of the 
active population).  But while it accounts on average fo r close to 78 per cent of the country's exports, 
its contribution to domestic government revenue re mains at 20.9 per cent.  The manufacturing sector, 
for its part, appears to have grown at 3.5 per cent,  with a contribution to GDP of approximately 4 per 
cent on average. 
13. Meanwhile the tertiary sector has maintained a predominant average share of GDP (46.9 per 
cent) with an average annual growth rate of 2 per cen t.  Import-export trade continues to lead the way, 
accounting for 63.5 per cent of tertiary activities and growing at an average rate of 1.9 per cent per 
year, with a maximum of 2.8 per cent in 2004 and a minimum of 1.1 per cent in 2003. Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 7 
 
 
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES 
A GENERAL TRADE POLICY OBJECTIVES  
14. Guinea's trade policy and its strategy for the implementation of the re levant guidelines are a 
continuation of the country's general economic polic y agenda, which, is reflected in the different 
reforms it has been introducing for more than 15 year s.  This strategy, which is clearly defined in 
Guinea's PRSP, aims to make trade one of the engines of growth.  It rests on two main objectives: 
 - Modernization of the trade professions to cu rb the informal sector and establish a fair 
and healthy climate of competition; 
 - promotion of Guinean exports, particularly in the non-mining sectors. 
15. The main aims of Guinea's trade policy are: 
 - To rehabilitate the domestic market;  - to secure regular and adequate supp lies of consumer and capital goods for the 
country; 
 - to secure permanent markets for domes tic products both at home and abroad; 
 - to contribute to the creation, within the country, of domestic commercial channels 
leading to high value added products; 
 - to strengthen the role of national pub lic and private institutions responsible for 
supporting and promoting the private sector; 
 - to promote new products for which ther e is a demand on foreign markets and for 
which Guinea has a significant potential; 
 - to improve the image of Guinean foreign trade in international circles by promoting 
the product quality; 
 - to pursue the process of harmonization of domestic regulations with WTO rules;  - to step up exports by an average of 15 to  20 per cent a year over the next five years; 
 - to ensure smoother operation of trade-related judicial structures. 
B S
ECTORAL TRADE POLICY OBJECTIVES  
(i) Agriculture 
16. With more than six million hectares of arab le land, Guinea's agricultural potential is 
considerable (agriculture, fishing, livestock breeding, and forestry).  However, only 15 per cent of that 
land is actually cultivated.  Agriculture provides employment to more than 70 per cent of the population.  Consequently, the distribution of income in the agriculture sector is a key factor in 
eradicating poverty. WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 8 
 
 
17. Agriculture accounts for approximately 20 per cent of GDP, and its growth has generally 
outpaced that of other sectors of the economy.  However, it was adversely affected by the rebel 
attacks from Liberia and Sierra Leone, declining by 6.1 per cent in 2000. 
18. Agriculture is the priority sector of Guinea's development policy and is treated as such in the 
country's PRSP.  This priority has been implemente d through the different editions of the Agricultural 
Development Policy Letters (ADPL) I (1991) and II  (1998), of which the latter is currently being 
revised.  The target is a growth rate of six per cent as from 2005. 
19. To that end, the Guinean Government is con tinuing to implement its vast programme for the 
development and modernization of agriculture with the active participation of the private sector and 
the support of its main development partners. 
20. This programme, which builds on the progr amme presented in 1999, aims to: 
 - Improve production methods in rural areas in order to boost the output of farmers;  - introduce systems for financing agriculture in rural areas;  - improve the output of the agriculture subsectors by creating and managing pilot 
plantations and producing, in nurseries seed lings selected for the benefit of farmers; 
 - restore and extend the network of rural dirt roads and hydro-agricultural facilities; 
 - promote the use of agricultural inputs;  - promote the rational use of forest resources;  - boost the efficiency of State and para-S tate support structures and of agricultural 
development projects and programmes; 
 - make the agricultural sector one of the engines of economic and social development 
in Guinea; 
 - shift progressively from subsistence farming to market-driven agriculture; 
- combat rural poverty through environmenta l protection and rational and sustainable 
management of natural resources.   
(ii) Energy 
21. The policy of the Guinean Government in this  sector targets comprehensive coverage of 
energy demand throughout the country  in the best possible conditions. 
22. To that end, the following measures are planned: 
 - Rehabilitation of existing production, tran sport and distribution facilities and creation 
of new units, while at the same time ensuring a regular supply of spare parts; 
 
 - updating of studies under the Production and Transport Master Plan with a view to 
revising the national investment programme in that sector; 
 Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 9 
 
 
 - improvement of technical, commercial and financial management in the sector; 
  - improvement of the current instituti onal framework by establishing the necessary 
legal and financial conditions for introduci ng the different types of private energy 
production; 
  - development of a rural electrification programme;   - continuation of the campaign to prom ote new and renewable forms of energy. 
 
(iii) Industry 
23. The Government's objectives in this sector fo cus mainly on reviving its programme for the 
industrialization of the country, beginning with support for private economic operators. 
24. This policy will involve: 
 - Helping certain industrial units that have al ready been privatized or that are currently 
being privatized or sold off to revive their activities; 
 - streamlining the formalities for setting up new enterprises;  - creating serviced industrial zones in Conakry and in the main cities in the interior of 
the country; 
 - creating free zones in order to encourage the production and export of manufactured 
goods; 
 - creating a framework for establishing relations between Guinean and foreign 
operators. 
(iv) Mining 
25. For a long time to come, Guinea's economy will remain dependent on the mining sector, 
which alone accounts for more than one quarter of GDP and more than 75 per cent of export revenue.  
Thanks to its mining resources and its energy poten tial, Guinea is in a position to achieve genuine 
sustained socio economic development, driv en unquestionably by the mining sector. 
26. A new mining policy involving bold reforms wa s initiated in the wake of the economic 
liberalization and modernization programme adopted by the Government in 1985.  By promoting and 
reviving investment, this policy aimed to help the mining sector to contribute more effectively to 
socio economic development and the growth of  State revenue through the development and 
processing of mineral raw materials on the spot. 
27. Although appropriate, all of these reforms to the mining sector failed to produce the positive 
impact on the national economy that had been hoped for .  This led the Government, together with the 
development partners, to develop a new mining polic y in 2005 based on the principle of liberalism as 
defined in the Basic Law of the Republic of Guinea. 
28. In conformity with the national poverty reduc tion strategy, the main objective of the new 
mining policy is to improve the mining sector's contribution to the national economy and its 
development.  It is governed by an attractive a nd stabilized legislative, regulatory and competitive WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 10 
 
 
framework designed to minimize any negative e nvironmental impact and favour sustainable 
development. 
29. To that end, the Government intends to provi de for the systematic publication of revenue 
generated by the mining sector according to the stan dards of the Extractive Industries Transparency 
Initiative (EITI). 
30. In consultation with the partners, the Governme nt will monitor the review of the different 
agreements and conventions and the revision of the Mining Code of 1995. It will also ensure that the 
communities in the vicinity of mining operations share the benefits deriving from them. 
31. In the short and medium term, the Guinean government will seek, with its bilateral and 
multilateral partners, to implement the following major value-added projects: 
 
 - The Sangarédi Aluminia Plant, for whic h the agreement was signed and ratified in 
May 2005, with  a capacity of 2.8 million tonnes of Aluminia per year; 
  - the Kamsar Aluminia Plant, with an an nual capacity of 1.5 million tonnes, extensible 
to 4.5 million tonnes; 
  - the Dabola Aluminia Plant;   - the Dian Dian Bauxite-Aluminia-Aluminium Complex; 
 
 - the Fria Aluminium Smelter (240,000 t onnes per year) coupled with the Souapiti 
Kaléta Hydroelectric Dam; 
  - extension of the capacity of the Fria Aluminia Factory;  
 - the hydroelectric dam on the Cogon; 
  - exploitation of Mont Nimba iron ore deposits;   - exploitation of the Simandou iron ore deposits; 
 
 - exploitation of iron ore deposits and co nstruction of a steel plant in Forécariah; 
  - setting-up of diamond cutting plants;  
 - production of cement and/or lime using the limestone deposits of Souguéta, Kourouni 
and Lébékéré, etc.; 
  - organization of small-scale exploitation of precious materials, which provides more 
than 100,000 jobs for Guineans;  superv ision, and routing of all production, 
particularly of diamonds, through official ma rketing channels in conformity with the 
requirements of the Kimberley process. 
 32. A policy of this kind, which focuses on projects th at are in essence capital intensive, calls for 
the mobilization of considerable financial resour ces, a concerted review of the legislative and 
regulatory framework, and the revitalization of regulatory, control and promotion structures. Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 11 
 
 
33. A coherent implementation of the policy will en able the mining sector not only to generate 
substantial revenue for the government, but also, and above all, to exercise a spill-over impact on 
other socio economic sectors, thus contributing to poverty reduction. 
(v) Fishing and livestock production 
34. The objective in this sector remains the maximization of economic and social benefits for the 
country of exploiting its fisheries and pastures.  This takes account of the need to safeguard the 
balance of the ecosystem and the sustainability of  the exploitation of resources while seeking to 
increase the contribution of fishing an d livestock to food safety, job creation, improving the income of 
fishermen and breeders, and boosting State revenue. 
35. Accordingly, the Government will continue to: 
- Set up an efficient system for the planni ng and rational management of resources by 
strengthening the monitoring and protection of fishing zones and by conducting research; 
- step up its combat against epizootics and develop a livestock food supply base; 
- strengthen basic infrastructures and improve the value added of fishing and livestock 
products; 
- support the exportation of fishing and livestock products; - encourage the emergence of local econom ic operators in the areas of small-scale 
fishing and industrial fishing; 
- decentralize and improve the monitoring and surveillance of Guinean territorial 
waters. 
(vi) Services 
(a) Banking and financial services 
36. Thanks to the Government's reforms in this ar ea, it has been possible to liberalize the banking 
and financial sector by: 
- Restructuring and rehabilitating the Ce ntral Bank as the currency-issuing agency 
responsible for monitoring and controlling the entire banking and financial system; 
 
- reforming the environment in which the banking, financial and micro-credit 
institutions operate, in particular monetary  policy, the legal framework for financial 
intermediation, the related tax system, and the degree of State participation in the 
capital and management of banki ng and financial institutions; 
- liberalizing the foreign exchange market, developing the money market and savings 
and loans institutions, and introducing mechanisms to  support SMEs and micro-
enterprises. WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 12 
 
 
37. As of today, seven commercial banks, four insurance companies, and seven certified micro-
finance institutions form the backbone of Guinea's banking and financial system.  With the exception 
of one bank and one insurance company, all of th e banking and financial institutions are private and 
run privately by Guineans with foreign partners .  The Insurance Code entered into force on 
12 July 1995. 
38. A new law on the supervision of banking activ ities was enacted on 4 July 2005, and another 
law on micro-finance institutions is currently  under discussion at the National Assembly. 
39. These various laws provide the Guinean banking  and financial market with security and 
stability for depositors and insured persons as well as for investors. 
40. The Government's main objectives in this area remain better management of foreign exchange 
reserves and stabilization of the exte rnal value of Guinea's currency. 
 In this context, the Govern ment will continue to ensure: 
  - The control of money circulation through an efficient financial deepening of the 
economy; 
 
 - strengthened supervision of banking and financial institutions through the 
introduction of instruments, procedures and methods that are in keeping with international standards; 
 
 - enhanced security and modernization of payment systems and means in the banking 
and financial institutions in accordance with the objectives set by the second West 
African Monetary Zone (WAMZ); 
  - the strengthening of mechanisms to f acilitate investment and the financing of 
investment; 
 
 - further liberalization of the money and exchange markets;   - creation of a financial market as a tool  for collecting savings with a view to 
supporting public and private investment. 
 
(vii) Transport 
41. The main objective in the area of transport (a ir, maritime and land) is to improve traffic 
conditions in order to facilitate travel and provide greater security for passe ngers and their luggage. 
(a) Air transport 
 
42. The following measures have been taken in this sector: 
- Privatization of the national airline, Air Gu inée, whose shares were sold to a private 
Guinean company which created the airline Air Guinée Express; 
- opening of Conakry International Airport to traffic round the clock; - coordination of security services at Conakry Airport; Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 13 
 
 
- streamlining of formalities for passengers and for goods transit; 
- increasing the traffic at Conakry International Airport by more than 30 per cent; - implementation of the Yamoussokro Decision concerning the liberalization of access 
to air transport markets in Africa; 
- multiple designation of instruments for the management of air traffic rights; 
- allowing airlines to operate on several frequencies; - granting of fifth-freedom traffic rights to airlines of the subregion on the basis of 
reciprocity; 
- liberalization of commercial air transport activities; 
- preparation and adoption of implemen ting texts for the Civil Aviation Code. 
43. In the short, medium and long term, the objectives of this subsector are the following: 
 - Rehabilitation of the airports of Kankan , Labé and N'Zérékoré so that they can 
operate day and night; 
  - revision of expired aviation agreements; 
 
 - bolstering of human, financial and mate rial means to build-up the institutional 
capacity of the subsector's structures; 
  - revival of the activities of domestic air tr ansport operators through the promotion of 
local private airlines; 
  - continued implementation of the master pl an for the development of Conakry Airport 
with a view to increasing arrival and departure traffic. 
 
(b) Maritime transport 
 
44. With more than 300 km of coastline, Guin ea is dependent on maritime transport for 
approximately 95 per cent of its foreign trade. 
 45. The short term objectives for the maritime transport subsector are: 
 - Improvement of the performance of the Autonomous Port of Conakry (PAC) and 
extension of its goods traffic activities through the 3ème Projet Portuaire (Third Port 
Project); 
  - development of transhipment, intern ational transit, and domestic cabotage; 
 
 - building up of management capacity in the sector;  WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 14 
 
 
 - restructuring of the Agence de la Navigation Martime – ANAM (Maritime Shipping 
Agency) and partial privatization of the Société Navale Guinéenne – SNG (Guinean 
Shipping Company); 
 
 - revival of river transport on the Niger and Milo rivers; 
  - involvement of national shipping compan ies in shipping activities on the basis of  
partnership with a foreign shipping company; 
 
 - creation of an appropriate specific regulatory framework; 
  - development and adoption of all of the implementing texts of the Merchant Marine 
Code; 
  - application of the International Shi pping and Port Facilities Security Code (ISPS 
Code), which entered into force on 1 July 2004. 
 
(c) Land transport  
 
46. In the short and medium term, the general objectives are to improve the organization of 
Guinean land transport with a view to enhancing its  performance and taking full advantage of the new 
opportunities that have emerged in the West African subregion.  Accordingly, the following measures 
are envisaged: 
 - organization and development of road corri dors to promote inter-state transport with a 
view to subregional integration; 
 
 - improvement of the fluidity of road traffic in the city of Conakry; 
  - development of the subsector's management capacity;   - computerization of the management of th e country's vehicle fleet and the system for 
the delivery of transport documents (d riving licences, registration documents, 
transport authorizations, etc.); 
  - enhancement of road security;  
 - preparation and introducti on of an action plan for the progressive improvement of the 
quality of the vehicle fleet; 
 - establishment of a system for the collection and processing of statistical data on road 
accidents; 
  - creation of a national transport observatory; 
 
 - computerization of the system for the delivery of driving licences.  
(d) Railway transport 
 
47. In 1995, railway transport on the 662 km -long Conakry-Kankan line was halted, chiefly 
because the obsolescence of the track and the rolling stock. Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 15 
 
 
48. Since then the activity of the Office National des Chemins de Fer de Guinée  – ONCFG  
(National Railway Office of Guinea) has been c onfined to maintaining its property (buildings, 
locomotives, track).  Its liabilities were settled on 31 December 2003. 
49. The chief objective in this subsector remains the revival of rail transport activities with a view 
to facilitating trade and the transport of persons. 
50. To that end, the following activities are planned: 
 In the short term: 
 - Rehabilitation of the first 36 km with a view to building a dry port at PK 36/38; 
 
 In the long term: 
 - Rehabilitation of the Conakr y-Kankan railway line (662 km) 
 
(viii) Telecommunications 
51. In this area, the government aims, inter alia : 
 - To improve broadcasting and the use of postal and telecommunication tools as well as 
information and communications technologies (ICTs); 
  - to provide a public service throughout the territory of Guinea to all segments of the 
population in order to contribute to economic and social development; 
 
 - to favour a policy of wave-band liberaliza tion while ensuring that all of the technical 
prerequisites for managing and controlling th e use of frequencies allocated to public 
and private television operators have been met; 
  - to provide the national economy with m eans of communication based on constantly 
evolving technologies in order to contribut e to its openness and integration in the 
world economy; 
  - to enhance the efficiency of the admini strations by modernizing the way in which 
they operate, helping with the establishment of administrative formalities, and providing citizens with more information; 
 
 - to strengthen the educational system th rough distance learning and computer-assisted 
instruction; 
  - to create jobs in the provinces as a means of halting the migration from the 
countryside to the capital, by encouraging the dissemination of ICTs throughtout the 
country; 
  - to further develop the supply of telephone  services, ITCs and postal services, and 
facilitate the broadest possible access to postal and telecommunication services, 
particularly in the rural areas; 
 WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 16 
 
 
 - to develop and diversify the activities of  the postal services and consolidate their 
financial viability by introducing appropriat e reforms (modernization of management 
methods, development of partnerships  and human resources development); 
 
 - to encourage the development of a ne w ITC-based postal a nd telecommunications 
services industry capable of responding to  the increasingly diversified needs of 
enterprises for which the quality of the services supplied and the availability of 
innovative services represent productivity factors. 
 
52. This will require action to: 
 - Strengthen the public service by developing universal access through: 
   Individual fixed lines   private telecentres   multi-service community telelcentres 
  mobile phones, prepaid in particular 
  post offices in the rural areas   - extend the territorial coverage of  postal and telecommunications network 
infrastructure taking account of the evolution of technologies and the specific needs 
of each category of users; 
  - digitalize and boost the capacity of the main transmission lines linking the capital 
with the provincial towns; 
  - modernize existing telecommunications sy stems on the basis of new international 
standards to offer a wide range of services at the lowest possible cost, while ensuring 
a performance level in keeping with the expectations of customers; 
  - improve the quality of the services offere d to customers of the different network 
operators and service suppliers in order to br ing Guinea's services to the level of most 
countries in the region; 
  - ensure the interoperation of services and service quality with the rest of the world; 
  - improve international internet connectivity; 
 
 - link Guinea to international information highways, including submarine cables;   - encourage infrastructure sharing by co mpeting operators in order to avoid the 
redundancy of infrastructure, thereby reduc ing overall fixed costs and helping to 
lower the rates for customers; 
 
 - ensuring that users and the State are able to enjoy the full benefits of competition by 
monitoring the operators and making certain that their performance matches pre-established specifications; 
 
 - provide mandatory telecommunications a nd expedited mail services throughout the  
country at rates to be determined freely, in  keeping with the public service principle. 
 Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 17 
 
 
(ix) Tourism 
53. In addition to its considerable potential in the fi elds of mining, energy and agriculture, Guinea 
also has much to offer in the field of tourism.  Nonetheless, tourism remains one of the country's least 
developed activities. 
54. Thus, the development of tourism is one of the Government's prio rities.  Its main objectives in 
this area remain the proper awakening of the touris t industry through the development of an integrated 
tourist package with an improved image of Guinea  as a destination, and the improvement of the 
sector's contribution to the acceleration of the country's growth. 
55. Ultimately, the aim is to: 
 - Ensure the creation of jobs and the mobili zation of foreign exchange in the sector as a 
means of increasing its contribution to  the acceleration of overall growth; 
  - encourage professionals in th e sector to invest in Guinea; 
  - train human resources; 
 
 - create jobs with a wide distribution of incomes;   - encourage and facilitate the development of tourist sites and access roads throughout 
the country. 
 
(x) Crafts 
56. The Government's objective in this area is to  implement the Handicrafts Development Policy 
Letter. 
 The Government's promotional activities in this sector remain: 
 
 - Encouragement of initiatives for the creation of trade chambers; 
  - implementation of the Handicrafts Code;   - implementation of a policy aimed at encouraging the creation of crafts villages; 
 
 - increasing the productivity and competitive ness of the Guinean handicrafts sector; 
 - Organization of sales exhibitions of Guinean crafts both at home and abroad;   - creation of stable productive employment. 
 
V. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPORT AND EXPORT REGIIME 
57. Since the State's withdrawal from all economic activities after 1986, the trade sector has 
remained completely liberalized.  Import and expor t operations have been f acilitated and transferred 
to the private sector. WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 18 
 
 
(i) Imports 
58. On 31 December 2004, the import guarantee programme that had been entrusted to the 
Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) was term inated.  A new procedure for import and export 
transactions, entirely managed by the Guinean nationa l customs administration, was adopted by Order 
No. A/N/2005/00126/MEF/CAB, issued on 31 January 2005 by the Ministry of the Economy and 
Finance and currently in force. 
59. In this connection a service was created in the National Customs Directorate known as the 
Guichet demande descriptive d'importation (Descriptive Import Application (DDI) office). 
60. For all goods imports of a value exceeding the Gu inean Franc equivalent of 2,000 US dollars, 
a DDI must be produced. 
61. The DDI office is responsible for issuing and following up the DDIs. 
 - A fee must be paid for the filing of a DDI, the amount of which is determined by 
order of the Ministry of the Economy and Finance. 
 62. The amount of the fee for filing a DDI for petroleum products is set at 0.5 per cent of the 
f.o.b. value. 
63. The following imports are exempted from payment of the fee: 
 1. Explosives and pyrotechnic products; 
 2. live animals;  3. local products and traditional handicrafts from the ECOWAS countries; 
 4. donations by foreign government s or international organizations; 
 5. mining companies;  6. government procurement and projects;  7. non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  64. The following imports are exempted from the DDI requirement: 
 1. Works of art; 
 2. current newspapers and periodicals;  3. personal effects and household articles;  4. postal packages and commercial samples;  5. gifts and supplies for diplomatic or c onsular missions of United Nations agencies; 
 6. precious stones and precious metals. 
 65. DDIs are valid for a period of six months. 
66. The procedure for filing a DDI through the DDI o ffice of the National Customs Directorate is 
a follows: 
1. Submission of the DDI application form
: 
 67. The importer or the importer's approved cust oms agent submits the application form, duly 
signed by the importer, to the DDI office together with the following documents: 
 - A detailed pro forma invoice Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 19 
 
 
 - the importer's tax registration certificate (NIF code) 
 - a bank receipt for payment of the application fee.  2. Admissibility of the application
: 
 
68. Once the application has been submitted, the docum ents are examined by a specialist who, if 
the application is admissible, signs the form and ha nds over the file to the office supervisor, who is 
responsible for the final authorization.  If the appli cations is rejected, it is returned to the customer. 
3. Preparation of the DDI : 
 
69. The DDI  must be compeleted in six copies: 
 - The original 
 - the "importer" copy  - the "bank" copy (as appropriate)  - the "Ministry of Trade" copy 
 - the "Customs Administration" copy 
 - the file copy  4. Signature of the DDI
: 
 
70. The DDI thus completed is signed by: 
 - The importer; 
 - the servicing bank for DDIs involving a financial settlement;  - the DDI office supervisor  5. Registration of the DDI and distribution of the copies
: 
 
71. The signed DDI is registered by the examining specialist, who then hands over the original 
and the "importer" copy to the customer. 
72. The "Ministry of Trade" copy is sent to the National Directorate for Trade and Competition 
by mail. 
73. The "Customs Administration" copy is maile d to the customs import office for assessment 
and settlement. 
74. The "file" copy is placed in a sp ecial file in the DDI office. 
75. DDI's are required for the import of goods with  an f.o.b. value exceeding 2,000 US dollars.  
Goods whose f.o.b. value exceeds 5,000 US dollars ar e subject in addition to pre-shipment inspection 
of quantity, quality and price. 
76. As in all other countries, the import into Gu inea of products that are hazardous to human 
health is prohibited.  The import of strategic goods  linked to State security (firearms, ammunition, 
explosives, etc.) is subject to a special authorization. WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 20 
 
 
(ii) Exports 
77. As in the case of imports, export licences, wh ich had been mandatory, have been abandoned 
and replaced by Descriptive Export Applications ( Demandes Descriptives d'Exportation  – DDE).  
Thus, all Guinean goods exports, whatever their dest ination, have been liberalized since the major 
reforms launched in 1986.  They are exempt fro m all taxes with the exception of mining products, 
which are subject to the payment of the duties indi cated in the individual agreements concluded with 
the mining companies. 
78. As regards products such as coffee, exporters pa y their federations a fee of 13 US dollars per 
tonne.  This fee is used to finance sectoral promotion activities. 
VI. LEGAL AND REGULATORY TRADE POLICY FRAMEWORK (iii) Domestic laws and regulations governin g the implementation of trade policy 
79. The economic reforms carried out in Guinea since the end of the 1980s represent an 
irreversible commitment to the full liberalization of  Guinean trade.  Export, import and distribution 
activities remain free. 
80. This determination by the Government to transf er all trade activities to the private sector is 
clearly reflected in the different legal texts. 
81. The Constitution is the supreme law in Guinea.  Legislative power is vested with the National 
Assembly which votes on the laws.  The President of the Republic promulgates and ratifies the laws, 
and is also vested with the authority to negotiate  and conclude internati onal agreements.  He may 
delegate that authority to a minister or to any other member of the Executive. 
82. Where there is a need to amend legislation in order to bring it into conformity with the 
provisions of an agreement, it is the National Asse mbly that votes on the law authorizing such an 
amendment. 
83. In Guinea, as in a number of other countri es, trade policy is implemented by several 
institutions and executive bodies of the Government. 
84. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and the SMEs is  the main institution in charge of trade policy 
in Guinea, and is responsible for submitting the rele vant draft laws where necessary.  Since Guinea is 
a signatory to the instruments of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa 
(OHADA), all of the laws governing trade in Guinea  have been harmonized with those defined by 
OHADA, in particular: 
 - The Law on Free Competition and Pricing Policy; 
 - The Law on Weights and Measures; 
 - The Law on Tourism.  
(iv) Formulation and review of trade policies 
85. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and the SMEs is in charge of the planning, formulation, 
implementation and administration of Guinea's trade policy.  Trade laws are drafted by the Ministry 
(in cooperation with other ministries) and submitted to the Legislative for consideration and a vote. Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 21 
 
 
86. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and the SM Es prepares trade policy measures in consultation 
with: 
- The private sector as represented by its different support and promotion bodies 
(Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Craf ts of Guinea;  National Chamber of 
Commerce of Guinea;  Guinean National Council of Employers;  Guinean Traders' 
Association;  Guinean Foreign Investor s' Club;  National Union of Guinean 
Industrialists, etc.);  
- the other competent institutions:  Minist ry of the Economy and Finance (National 
Customs Directorate);  Ministry of Planning;  Ministry of Cooperation;  Ministry of 
Agriculture, Livestock, Water and Forests;  Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture;  
and the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea; 
- The Guinean National Committee for Intern ational Trade Negotiations, which advises 
the government on the subject of negotiations;   
- Civil society through its different structures:  National Council of Civil Society 
Organizations (CNOSC), research centres, and universities. 
(v) Bilateral, multilateral, regional and preferential trade agreements 
87. Having opted for a liberal economy, Guinea is continuing to create the necessary conditions 
for harmonious integration into the world economy by  developing its trade rela tions and diversifying 
its trading partners. 
88. To that end, it has concluded the following agreements: 
 - The Agreement Establishing the WTO; 
 - The ECOWAS Treaty;  - The Mano River Union. 89. Guinea is a signatory to the Cotonou Economic Partnership Agreement between the European 
Union and the ACP countries.  Like the other countri es of the West African Region, it is currently 
negotiating the economic aspects of the Agreemen t through the economic partnership agreements 
(EPAs) which provide, as of 2008, for the establishment of a free-trade area between the ACP 
countries and the European Union. 
90. However, pending the entry into force of this  Agreement, Guinean goods exports to the EU 
market and the OECD countries continue to enter duty- and tax-free without reciprocity.   
91. As an original Member of the WTO, Guinea attaches to its membership the importance it 
deserves.  It remains convinced that the WTO agreements will serve  as a basis for increasing the share 
in world trade of the developing countries in general, and the LDCs in particular. 
92. Guinea therefore sincerely hopes that the Doha Round negotiations currently under way in the 
WTO and the EPA negotiations with the EU will i ndeed ultimately succeed in boosting the share of 
the developing countries in general and the LDCs in pa rticular in world trade, as this is the only way 
of reducing poverty in those countries. WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 22 
 
 
93. This means that the development dimension must  be placed at the centre of the negotiations.  
It also means that the developed country partners must fulfil all of the comm itments they have made 
in the context of special and differential treatment and the comprehensive implementation of all of the 
WTO agreements.  These commitments must benefit the economies of the developing countries, and 
the decline and erosion of all of the other pr eferences acquired by them must be reversed. 
94. With this in mind, Guinea intends, through the Integrated Framework for Trade-Related 
Technical Assistance to the LDCs, to adopt a strategy aimed at building up its capacity to supply internationally competitiv e and exportable products. 
95. Guinea is also a founding member of the Econom ic Community of Western African States 
(ECOWAS).  However, for more than a decade this  organization has been suffering from the unstable 
geographical context in the subregion and its voca tion as an economic integration body has been, and 
with the fresh conflicts that have broken out recen tly, continues to be over shadowed by the concern 
for stability and maintenance of peace in the subregion. 
96. The same is true for the Mano River Union, but with the end of the war in Sierra Leone and 
Liberia, it is gradually recovering its shape and its activities.  In the face of these realities, Guinea's 
objective is to ensure that economic priorities ur gently resume their place at the forefront of 
subregional concerns.  To that end, Guinea has sought  to revive the political will needed to restore the 
raison d'être of these two groupings and their vocat ion as economic integration bodies.  
97. This is particularly important in that the EPAs currently being negotiated with the EU must be 
concluded with a united West African Region estab lished as a customs union with common policies in 
all areas of economic activity. 
98. It should also be noted that Guinea has conclude d standard bilateral trade agreements with a 
certain number of countries.  These agreements provide for most-favoured-nation (MFN) treatment 
and do not grant any particular tariff preferences.   The countries in question are Guinea-Bissau, 
China, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Gambia, Iran, and Ukraine. 
99. In April 1997, Guinea concluded a trade and tariff convention with Morocco providing for 
total exemption from tariffs and taxes with equi valent effect for certain Guinean and Moroccan 
products traded between the two c ountries, taken from Schedules 1 and 2.  The products covered by 
this convention are those originating entirely in one of the two countries or having undergone a degree 
of processing of 40 per cent or less. 
100. Guinea was also one of the first among the developing countries to accede to the Global 
System of Trade Preferences (GSTP).  In addition, it  signed the Agreement Establishing the Common 
Fund for Commodities as well as the International Co ffee Agreement.  It is among the 37 countries of 
sub-Saharan Africa to be eligible for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). 
VII. IMPLEMENTATION OF TRADE POLICY 
(i) Trade policy measures applied by Guinea 
101. The new Guinean customs tariff aligned with th e common external tariff (CET) of the West 
African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): 
102. In the context of the progressive integrati on of its economy in the subregional economy and 
the world economy, Guinea adopted, in January 2005, the harmonized WAEMU common external 
tariff. Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 23 
 
 
103. Unlike the old customs tariff, the new tari ff is based on the 2002 version of the World 
Customs Organization (WCO) harmonized system. 
104. It comprises an entry column for im ports and an exit column for exports. 
105. The levies entered in the columns are:  the Fiscal Import Duty (DFI) upon entry, and the 
Fiscal Export Duty (DFE). 
106. The goods are grouped into four categories: 
 - CATEGORY 0 , with a tax of 0 per cent , which concerns basic commodities of a 
social character (health, education, culture  and information) as well as materials and 
inputs for agriculture, livestock breeding, and fisheries; 
 
 - CATEGORY I , with a tax of 5 per cent , which concerns staples, unprocessed raw 
materials, and capital goods; 
  - CATEGORY II , with a tax of 10 per cent , which concerns semi-finished products 
and industrial inputs; 
 
 - CATEGORY III , with a tax of 20 per cent , which concerns final consumer goods 
that do not fall into the preceding categories, such as luxury goods. 
 107. The DFE rates are as follows: 
- 0 per cent  for all agricultural and industrial goods harvested or manufactured in 
Guinea; 
- 3 per cent  for god and diamond exports; 
- 2 per cent  for re-exports of goods of foreign origin previously imported against 
payment of import duties and taxes in Guinea. 
108. The DFE applied to mining products are set fort h in the individual agreements signed with the 
mining companies. 
109. The new tariff includes permanent levies and temporary levies. 
 - Permanent levies
:  regardless of the DFI applicable, goods imported into Guinea are 
subject to the following permanent levies: 
 
(a) Clearance Fee (RTL) (2 per cent); 
 
(b) Centime Additionnel  – CA (tax surcharge) for the Chamber of Commerce, 
Industry and Handicrafts of Guinea and the National Chamber of Agriculture, 
(0.25 per cent); 
 
(c) Value Added Tax (VAT) at a rate of 18 per cent; 
 
(d) ECOWAS Community Tax (PC) (0.5 per cent); 
 WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 24 
 
 
(e) excise duty for certain items considered to be luxury goods, whose 
consumption is discouraged by the State under its public health policy.  The excise duty is a consumption tax.  It is due on goods produced on the spot as well as on imported goods.  Excise duty rat es vary between 5 and 45 per cent.  
A list of products subject to excise duty has been published. 
  - Temporary levies
:  under the heading Temporary Duties (DT), the new Guinean tariff 
includes the Degressive Protection Tax (TDP) and the Special Import Tax.  The TDP aims to encourage and protect domestic i ndustrial production efforts.  Thus, based on 
the objective capacity of certain industria l units to cover a certain proportion of 
domestic demand, the products manufactured by  such units are subject, in addition to 
the regular duties and taxes, to an import tax ranging from 10 to 15 per cent depending on the product. 
 110. The list of products subject to the TDP and th e Special Import Tax has also been published. 
111. The new tariff also provides fo r special treatment of certain  products, which are exempted 
from the VAT upon importation namely: 
 - Rice; 
  - wheat flour; 
 
 - edible and industrial vegetable oils,   - materials and inputs for agriculture, fisheries and livestock breeding;   - school supplies; 
 
 - medicaments;   - wheat.  
112. Under the provisions of the agreements or c ontracts concluded by the different States, 
Guinea's new tariff allows for the application of tota l or partial relief from customs duties for certain  
clearance operations.  The main categories of exemp tions currently applied by Guinea in this respect 
are: 
- Customs and tax advantages under the Investment Code :  taxes under the Code 
are assessed as follows: 
- Raw materials :  single import duty, six per cent;  RTL, two per cent;  VAT, 
18 per cent; 
 
- Equipment :  RTL, two per cent;  registration fee, 0.5 per cent; 
 
 - Tax and customs advantages under the Mining Code : 
 113. Here, a distinction is drawn between three phases:   prospecting, investment, and extraction. 
 Taxes are assessed as follows: Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 25 
 
 
 
 - Prospecting :  total exemption or free temporary admission against payment of a 
simple administrative fee; 
 
 - Investment :  payment of the registration fee of 0.5 per cent and the administrative fee 
only; 
  - Extraction :  payment of the single import duty of 5.6 per cent; 
 
 - Externally financed government projects and contracts : 
  In this area, the RTL (two per cent) and VAT (18 per cent) are paid by the selected 
tenderer.  Other duties and taxes are paid  by the State through a Special Series 
Treasury Cheque (CTSS). 
  - Donations to the State or its authorities  
 
  In-kind donations to the State are entirely exempted. 
 - Donations to refugees 
 Donations to refugees are completely exempted. 
 - Imports by NGOs 
 NGO imports are subject only to the RTL (2 per cent) and VAT (18 per cent) 
 - Bilateral trade agreements 
Guinea has a trade and tariff ag reement with Morocco only. 
Under that agreement, goods from Moro cco appearing on the list annexed to 
the agreement are subject, upon importation into Guinea, only to the RTL (2 per cent) and VAT (18 per cent) 
 - Preshipment inspection and customs valuation 
 Preshipment inspection of goods being imported into Guinea, formally 
carried out by the SGS, has now been abolished. 
114. The competent authorities have already taken th e necessary steps to apply, in Guinea, the 
WTO transaction value to imports.  This involved th e creation of a valuation office with a valuation 
file, staff training, and regulatory and legislative ad aptations.  Thus, instead of the Brussels Definition 
of Value (BDV), Guinea now applies as the transaction value. WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 26 
 
 
(a) The new Guinean customs tariff, aligned with the WAEMU's CET, will have an impact both 
 at the national level (social, economic, budgetary), and at the regional level. 
(b) Indeed, the new tariff gives priority to the soci al sectors (health, education, information, and 
culture), classifying related products in category 0 with a DFI of 0 per cent. 
115. From an economic standpoint, the new tariff c ontributes to the harmonious development of 
the industrial and agricultural production sectors, with  a domestic industry protection tax that is in 
keeping with the relevant provisions of the WTO. 
116. The documents required for customs transactions are the Tax Statement (BDT), the 
purchasing invoice, the bill of lading or airway bill, the DDI and the DDE, the certificate of origin 
and, where applicable, the phytosanitary certificate. 
VIII.  CURRENT TRADE LIBERALIZATION PROGRAMME IN GUINEA 
117. The policy of trade liberalizati on, introduced in 1986 - the year of the great economic reforms 
in Guinea – as one of the first measures taken by the Government, has been pursued since the first 
WTO Trade Policy Review of Guinea in 1999.  The programmes for the privatization of State-owned 
commercial enterprises have continued to the point where today, there are practically no commercial 
enterprises still under State control and the transfer to the private sector of all commercial functions 
formally exercised by the State can be said to have been completed. 
118. In order to strengthen its trade liberalization efforts, the Guinean Government enacted a law 
on competition and freedom of prices.  This law ai ms to monitor any infringements of free trade 
practices, such as agreements, mergers, takeovers, withholding of stocks, monopolies and oligopolies.  
IX. ECONOMIC REFORM PROGRAMME 
119. During the years that followed its first trad e policy review in 1999, Guinea continued to 
deepen its economic reforms in cooperation with  its main bilateral a nd multilateral development 
partners.  This enabled it to move forward and im prove its macroeconomic re sults in comparison with 
the period leading up to 1999, thanks to reforms implemented in conformity with its commitment to 
liberalization clearly expressed by the President of the Republic, General Lansana Conte, in his 
historic keynote address of 22 December 1985. 
120. Thus, to try to stabilize the economy and achieve  sustainable growth, improve the payments 
situation, and in general to provide the populations  of Guinea with a high standard of living for the 
years to come, the Prime Minister, in his keynote speech at the opening of the National Assembly's 
2005 budget session, established as the Government's pr iority in the area of development policy. the 
restoration of the major macroeconomic balances di srupted by the severe crisis that hit Guinea in 
2003.  This was to be achieved by: 
 - Improving the performance of public wa ter, electricity and telephone services; 
 - Improving governance and fighting corruption; 
 - Combating HIV/AIDS 
121. In order to attain these objectiv es, the Government will seek to: 
 - Restore public finances by re-establishing monetary and budgetary discipline; Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 27 
 
 
 - take such measures as are necessary to reach the completion point of the HIPC 
initiative so that Guinea can benefit fro m the cancellation of its foreign debt; 
 - adopt the measures needed for the resu mption of budget aid, in particular the 
cooperation programmes with th e Bretton Woods Institutions; 
 - control inflation and the depreciation of the Guinean franc against foreign currencies. 
X. IMPORT AND EXPORT TRENDS 
(1) IMPORTS  
122. It must be recognized that Guinean imports of  different products have continued to increase 
considerably since the liberalization of  trade in the country.  This trend is primarily due to the fact that 
most of the country's consumer needs have to be  met through imports, but it is also fuelled by the 
Government's trade liberalization measures such as th e elimination of exchange controls and of import 
licensing. 
(2) EXPORTS  
123. One of the main components of the new trade strategy developed in the framework of 
Guinea's implementation of Phase II of the pilot pr oject under the Integrated Framework for Technical 
Assistance to the LDCs remains the continued policy of prom oting and developing Guinean exports. 
124. Indeed, Guinea has been able to  enjoy the financial benefits of this cooperation programme 
among the six international agencies - the World Bank, UNDP, IMF, ITC, WTO and UNCTAD – through: 
 (a) The organization of a diagnostic stud y of the competitiveness of the Guinean 
economy, which led to the establishment of a prioritized action matrix to help identify 
the chain of constraints to be overcome in  order to promote and develop exports; 
  (b) the identification and implementation of three priority projects involving:    - the strengthening of Guinea's negotia ting capacity in order to facilitate its 
participation in the multilateral trading system; 
   - institutional support for the development of exports;    - development of agricultural exports  with a high poverty reduction capacity. 
 
 (c) In addition to these projects, the developm ent partners have already started to finance 
other projects identified in the action matrix , notably in the areas of trade facilitation 
(helping the Guinean customs administration to purchase ASYCUDA++ and the Autonomous Port of Conakry to enhan ce port security), and standardization. 
125. For the Guinean Government in cooperation with its development partners, these three 
projects, in addition to other programmes are cu rrently crucial in supporting its poverty reduction 
strategy. 
126. The actions identified in this action matrix have  now been incorporated in the PRSP in order 
to enable the trade sector to contribute mo re effectively to the fight against poverty. WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 28 
 
 
127. Alongside the implementation of these three projects, the Government is preparing to 
organize a round table with the donors in an effort to  mobilize the financial resources needed to carry 
out all of the priority actions identified in the IF diagnostic study of the competitiveness of the 
Guinean economy prepared by the World Bank. 
XI. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY GUINEAN PRODUCTS ON FOREIGN 
MARKETS 
128. Guinean exports, which are more than 85 pe r cent dependent on mining products, suffer 
considerably from: 
 - Price fluctuations affecting such products  on foreign markets.  The same applies for 
coffee and cocoa, which are Guinea's main exports after mining products; 
  - the regulations and standards (sanitary and phytosanitary as well as other technical 
barriers to trade) of certain of Guinea's trading partners; 
  - the precariousness of economic infrastructure and human resources. 
 
129. Within this context, particular mention should be made of cotton:  with the fall in cotton 
prices on the international market, the populations of the Haute Guinée region which are particularly 
dependent on cotton, are becoming impoverished. 
130. The fall in world cotton prices brought with  it a 60 per cent decline in Guinean cotton 
production between 2000 and 2004, which in its tu rn, led to the disappearance of a number of 
producer's cooperatives.  Of the 8,000 that existed in 2000, only about 1,800 are left today.   What this 
amounts to is the slow and inexorable death of cotton farming in Guinea. 
131. To make matters worse, Guinean poultry farmi ng, which was largely dependent on cotton by-
products (in particular cottonseed cake as poultry f eed), has had its own share of difficulties.   
132. Guinean poultry farmers now have to import thei r cottonseed cake from Mali in order to feed 
their poultry because there is not enough available locally  to cover all of their needs.  Because of these 
difficulties, many Guinean farmers have aba ndoned their activities and sunk into poverty. 
133. Unfortunately, it is not easy for these cotton farm ers to switch to other crops, because the soil 
in these Soudano-Sahelien regions is not suited to all crops, and the Government does not have the 
means to carry out such a conversion without massive  aid from its development partners.   All  this 
has been a blow to the poverty reduction strategy. 
134. Rapid fulfilment of the commitments and promises made by the different development 
partners regarding the development aspect of  cotton during the WTO trade negotiations could 
contribute to a lasting settlement of the issue. 
135. Although Guinea has been granted preferential tr eatment by the countries of the north within 
the framework of the GSP, these benefits rare ly compensate for the damage caused by certain 
restrictive domestic measures taken in respect of Guinean exports. 
XII. CONCLUSION 
136. This trade policy review provides sufficient ev idence that Guinea has pursued its economic 
liberalization programme tirelessly since 1999, when  it first appeared before the WTO Trade Policy Republic of Guinea WT/TPR/G/153 
 Page 29 
 
 
Review Body.  It is determined to continue that pol icy with a view to achieving its integration into the 
world economy.  Its main objectives in this respec t are:  to reconquer its original share of the 
international market, to ensure the rational orga nization of domestic trade and to improve the 
country's foreign trade image in international economic  circles.  All of this must take place in the 
framework of an open partnership that is  mutually beneficial to all parties. 
137. To that end, it will persist in its efforts to  implement the different programmes elaborated 
with its development partners in or der to ensure that in the near future, the standard of living in 
Guinea is among the highest in the region. 
138. The Government will ensure the proper ma nagement of the country's economy while 
strengthening democracy, respect for human rights, the fight against corruption, and good governance. 
139. With this in mind, Guinea intends to take full advantage of all of the increased market access 
opportunities offered by the developed countries unde r the different international agreements, in 
particular: 
 - The regional and subregional agreemen ts and arrangements (ECOWAS, Mano River 
Union, Organization for the Development of the Senegal River, etc.); 
 
 - the Cotonou agreement through its econom ic component, the Economic Partnership 
Agreement (EPA) with the European Union; 
  - the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a United States law on the 
development of opportunities for Africa; 
  - the Agreement Establishing the WTO;   - the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP);  
 - the Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP), etc. 
 140. To that end, and with the support of its  development partners it is seeking to: 
 - Build up its production capacity and exportable supply; 
 
 - improve its mechanisms for enforcing th e quality standards and regulations in force 
in the importing countries; 
  - introduce substantial economic reforms aimed at properly liberalizing the trade 
sector; 
 
 - mobilizing the investment needed for capacity building in the area of 
competitiveness; 
  - eliminate constraints on the growth of trade;  
 - build up the capacity of human resources and supporting institutions; 
  - develop  basic socio economic infrastructure, (water, electricity, roads, 
telecommunications, etc.); WT/TPR/G/153 Trade Policy Review 
Page 30 
 
 
 
 - act in concert with other countries in the framework of the ongoing WTO and EPA 
negotiations to maintain and reinfor ce the preferences already acquired. 
 
141. These objectives will require considerable fina ncial assistance that exceeds the Guinean 
Government's current possibilities.  This is why Guin ea is asking all of its development  partners for 
trade-related technical assistance so that it can bui ld up its export capacity by implementing the 
activities identified in IF priority action matrix.  In the long term, this will lead to an increase in the 
contribution of the trade sector to the creation of w ealth and the eradication of poverty in the country. 
 
__________