Guinean PR announces “major military parade” to mark 60 years of the Armed Forces – Africa

The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, announced this Friday the holding of a “great military parade” to mark 60 years since the creation of the Armed Forces and said he wanted to invite other countries to the celebration.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new vice-chief of the General Staff of the Navy, Jorge Sambu, who was promoted from sea captain to commodore, Embaló stated that the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Armed Forces, which are marked this year, “they will be associated” with Amílcar Cabral’s centenary.

Umaro Sissoco Embaló referred to the founder of the Guinean and Cape Verdean nationalities who has been celebrated by the communities of these countries with cultural, sporting and political activities.

“Last year we celebrated 50 years of our independence. This year we are going to do something more robust, a big military parade,” said Embaló.

The Guinean President promised to invite the Armed Forces of other countries to the military parade, namely those of Portugal.

Sissoco Embaló noted that all of this is only possible if the country has an Armed Forces that are governed “by order and discipline” and added that the military will be able to participate in various works, particularly in the construction of public roads.

The People’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP) were created on November 16, 1964 in the town of Cassacá, southern Guinea-Bissau, and functioned, at the time, as the “armed wing” of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde ( PAIGC).

With the country’s opening to multipartyism in 1991, the FARP no longer belonged to any political party.