Treaties of Friendship, Non-Aggression and Mutual Defense between Guinea and Guinea-Bissau
the two sovereign contracting parties. This treaty becomes
effective when the instruments of ratification are exchanged,
which will take place in Addis Ababa.
This treaty has been prepared in two [as heard] copies, each
in Arabic, Amharic and English, each of equal applicability.
Signed on behalf of the PDRY by Ahd al-Faffah
Ismail, Secretary-General of the YSP Central Committee
and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s
Council of the PDRY.
Signed on behalf of socialist Ethiopia by Mengistu
Haile Mariam, Chairman of the Provisional Military
Administrative Council, Chairman of the Council of
Ministers and Commander-in-Chief of the Revolution-
ary Army of socialist Ethiopia.
4.1416 Treaties of Friendship, Non-Aggression
and Mutual Defense between Guinea and
Guinea-Bissau
Alliance Members:Guinea and Guinea-Bissau
Signed On:January 25, 1980, in the city of Conakry (Guinea). In
force until May 7, 1999.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Keesing’s Record of World Events,January 1980.
SUMMARY
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, West African nations began to take
more proactive steps toward increasing regional economic and cul-
tural cooperation, especially after the formation of the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975. ECOWAS also
encouraged member states to increase their own bilateral ties, which
Guinea and Guinea-Bissau did with a set of agreements signed in Jan-
uary of 1980.
In November 1980, a bloodless coup d’état in Guinea-Bissau brought
to power a government led by Joao Bernardo Vieira. After ruling at the
helm of an oppressive government for more than ten years, Vieira won
the country’s free first elections in 1994. In 1998, however, a military
coup threatened his government, and Guinea and Senegal were forced
to intervene in defense of Vieira. A successful coup then occurred in
May 1999, and Vieira was replaced by Malam Bacai Sanha, which
effectively ended this alliance. During the next five years Guinea-Bis-
sau underwent a series of military coups and leadership changes, but
Vieira was able to return to power through presidential elections in
October 2005.
Description of Terms
Guinea and Guinea-Bissau signed six documents in Conakry,
including a treaty of friendship and cooperation, a treaty of
non-aggression, and a mutual defense agreement. Both coun-
tries pledged to set up a joint committee to discuss and solve a
dispute of the demarcation of territorial waters. The other
agreements encouraged the free exchange of goods and the free
movement of people.
4.1417 Treaty of Friendship and Alliance
between the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya and the Republic of Chad
Alliance Members:Libya and Chad
Signed On:June 15, 1980, in the city of Tripoli (Libya). In force until
June 19, 1982.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:United Nations Treaty,no. 19185.SUMMARY
In the middle of the 1960s, civil war broke out between the Chad gov-
ernment and the National Liberation Front (Frolinat). Libya began
giving military supplies to the Frolinat in hopes of annexing the
northern parts of Chad or the entire country. In 1978, the Frolinat
captured nearly half of the Chadian army and assumed control of the
government, and Hissene Habre was named prime minister. In 1979,
Frolinat split into two factions, and Libya aided Goukouni Oueddei’s
army, contributing to Hissene Habre’s defeat by 1980. On June 15,
1980, Chad agreed to this treaty of mutual defense and non-aggression
with Libya. Crucially, the treaty allowed for intervention by Libya if
Chad had a political crisis, and it also established the early framework
for a merger between the two countries.
Goukouni’s tenure in power lasted from March 1979 until November
1979, when Habre returned with French and U.S. aid, driving Gouk-
ouni out of the country. Upon his return to government, Habre sev-
ered ties with the Libyan regime that had been supporting his oppo-
nent and thereby renounced the treaty that Goukouni had signed in- Libya and Chad continued fighting until a United Nations panel
ruled in 1994 that the Aozou Strip belonged to Chad.
Alliance Text
The Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and the Republic
of Chad, Having faith in the deep-rooted spiritual, economic,
human and cultural ties created between the two fraternal peo-
ples by geographic proximity and centuries of common history;
Convinced that these vital ties are reflected in a common
destiny and common objectives and aspirations, transcending
all barriers;
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1. The two Parties shall defend each other if either
Party or both Parties are exposed to direct or indirect foreign
aggression.
The two Parties shall deem any aggression against one Party
to constitute aggression against the other, which shall be bound
to take such action as may be necessary to check the said aggres-
sion.
Article 2. The Parties undertake to exchange information on
military matters and on matters pertaining to internal and
external security and to assist each other if either Party or both
Parties are exposed to direct or indirect danger.
Article 3. Within the framework of the alliance between the
great revolution of 1 September and the Chadian revolution
under the leadership of FROLINAT (Front de Liberation
Nationale du Tchad), the Parties shall endeavour to: