Guinea: Aftermath of assassination attempt on military ruler - timeline
Searching more than 75 years of world history
- October 2009. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposes an arms embargo on Guinea following the recent massacre of civilian demonstrators by the ruling military junta, the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD).
- September 2009. At least 157 people are killed and more than 1,250 injured when soldiers attack opposition supporters who have rallied in Conakry (the capital) against the intention of Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara, leader of the CNDD, to stand in forthcoming presidential elections.
- August 2009. The CNDD approves an electoral calendar providing for presidential elections in January 2010 and a legislative election in March 2010.
- July 2009. Capt. Camara announces that the army has been placed on a state of high alert to prevent attacks from mercenaries, in the pay of Latin American drug cartels, massing along Guinea's borders with Guinea-Bissau and Senegal to the north and Liberia to the south.
- May 2009. Capt. Camara issues a decree establishing a National Transitional Council (NTC).
- April 2009. Two army officers are arrested on suspicion of plotting a coup against the ruling military junta.
- January 2009. ECOWAS heads of state and government convene an emergency summit in Nigeria and agree to suspend Guinea from its ranks.
- December 2008. President Lansana Cont dies, throwing Guinea into a state of confusion - the military quickly take control in the guise of the CNDD, led by made a junior army officer, Capt. Camara.
- November 2008. Thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of Conakry to protest at high fuel prices.
- May 2008. President Cont dismisses Lansana Kouyate as prime minister and replaces him with a technocrat, Ahmed Tidiane Souare.
- March 2007. A diplomat, Kouyate, is sworn in as prime minister with a mandate to heal the wounds of past conflicts.
- February 2007. President Cont imposes a state of emergency in an attempt to halt a general strike launched by the country's main trade unions in early January.
- June 2006. A violent and crippling general strike is suspended after government and the trade unions agree on wages and prices of basic goods.
- January 2005. President Cont survives what security officials say is an assassination attempt.
- April 2004. Prime Minister Francois Fall resigns, citing disagreements with President Cont over the implementation of reforms.
- December 2003. Cont is re-elected as president with some 96 per cent of the vote, with opposition parties boycotting the election.
- June 2002. Legislative elections - delayed due to unrest in neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia which has spilled over into Guinea - result in victory for President Cont's Party of Unity and Progress (PUP).
- November 2001. A new constitution is approved by referendum, removing the limitation of the presidential mandate to two terms in office, thereby allowing President Cont to stand for re-election.
- May 2001. Opposition leader Alpha Cond is freed from prison after being pardoned by President Cont.
- December 2000. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are on the move over a wide area of south-eastern Guinea near the Liberian and Sierra Leonean borders, following attacks by armed groups on the towns of Gukdou and Kissidougou.
- September 2000. Opposition leader Cond is sentenced to five years' imprisonment after being found guilty of sedition.
- December 1998. President Cont is returned to power in elections again disrupted by arrests and violence.
- July 1996. President Cont announces the creation of the post of prime minister, naming Sidia Toure as its first holder.
- February 1996. Disgruntled soldiers mutiny in Conakry, a move denounced by President Cont as part of a coup plot.
- June 1995. The country's first multiparty legislative elections result in an absolute majority for the PUP, led by President Cont.
- December 1993. President Cont is confirmed in office in the country's first multiparty elections - voting takes place amid violence and confusion.
- September 1993. President Cont announces that the country's first multiparty presidential elections will be held before the end of the year - opposition supporters take to the streets and violent clashes result in many deaths.
- July 1991. Opposition leader Cond leaves the country for renewed political exile in Senegal.
- May 1991. Anti-government general strikes erupt ahead of the return to Conakry of opposition leader Conde, in exile since 1956.
- December 1990. A new constitution is approved by referendum and shortly afterwards the ruling military council (the Military Committee for National recovery - CMRN) is dissolved and a mixed military and civilian Transitional Committee of National Recovery (CTRN) established as the country's legislative body.
- May 1987. The CMRN issues details of death sentences imposed in the aftermath of the abortive coup of July 1985.
- November 1986. Franois Mitterrand visits Conakry, his first visit to Guinea since becoming president of France in 1981 and a move which signals further improvement in relations between the two countries following the death of President Ahmed Sekou Toure.
- July 1985. President Cont survives a coup attempt launched by former Prime Minister Diarra Traor.
- May 1984. President Cont announces that the name People's Revolutionary Republic of Guinea', which had been adopted in 1978, has been dropped in favour of the original name, the Republic of Guinea.
- April 1984. The military seize power and Cont is named as the new president.
- March 1984. President Sekou Tour dies in hospital in the USA after suffering a heart attack.
- May 1982. President Sekou Tour is re-elected for a fourth seven-year term.
- January 1980. A total of 210 deputies are elected (on the list of the ruling Democratic Party of Guinea—PDG) to the new Popular National Assembly, which replaces the 150-member Legislative Assembly elected in December 1974.
- November 1978. The ruling PDG decides that, with effect from January 1979, the country's name should be changed from the Republic of Guinea to the People's Revolutionary Republic of Guinea.
- January 1978. It is disclosed that the government has released some 300 political prisoners, including former senior officials, ambassadors, army officers and magistrates.
- July 1975. Guinea and France agree to normalise their relations and to re-establish diplomatic relations as soon as possible.
- December 1974. Tour is re-elected for a third seven-year term as president and the ruling PDG wins all seats in the Legislative Assembly.
- January 1971. Almost 100 people are sentenced to death following the attempted invasion of Guinea in November 1970 by exiles based in neighbouring Portuguese Guinea (the future Guinea-Bissau).
- January 1968. Tour is re-elected for a second seven-year term as president - in legislative elections, held simultaneously, the PDG wins all contested seats.
- November 1965. Diplomatic relations with France are broken off following official Guinean allegations of French government involvement in an alleged plot against President Tour.
- September 1963. General elections result an overwhelming victory for the PDG.
- July 1961. Guinea, Ghana and Mali form the Union of African States, but it is abolished the following year.
- January 1961. Tour, the sole candidate, is for the first time elected president by direct popular vote.
- March 1960. A new currency, the Guinean franc, is created and monetary links with France is ended.
- October 1959. Diplomatic relations are established with the People's Republic of China.
- February 1959. A trade and payments agreement is signed with the Soviet Union providing for "most-favoured-nation" treatment.
- December 1958. Guinea is admitted as the 82nd member of the UN - there are no dissenting votes, but France abstains.
- October 1958. Guinea is proclaimed an independent republic, led by Sekou Tour.
- September 1958. The constitution of the Fifth Republic is submitted to a national referendum throughout metropolitan France, Algeria, and all the overseas departments and territories - it is overwhelmingly approved in every part of the French Union except Guinea, which is the only territory to show a majority of "no" votes.
