This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, which oversees security for U.S. government interests in Guinea-Bissau. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Guinea-Bissau. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s Guinea-Bissau country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password.

Travel Advisory

The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses Guinea-Bissau at Level 3, indicating travelers should reconsider travel country due to crime, elections, and civil unrest. Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System.

Overall Crime and Safety Situation

Crime Threats

The U.S. Department of State has assessed Bissau as being a HIGH-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Criminals in Guinea-Bissau target foreigners for crimes of opportunity (e.g. petty theft, pickpocketing, theft from vehicles, minor assaults). In particular, low-level criminal activity occurs in crowded areas (e.g. Bandim Market, the port in central Bissau). Criminals may take advantage of foreigners attempting to navigate through crowded markets. According to law enforcement officials, the Mindara and Reno neighborhoods are areas in which to take particular caution. Review OSAC’s reports, All That You Should Leave Behind.

Independent vendors and panhandlers solicit from foreigners as they exit the Bissau airport, and there remains a possibility of street criminals approaching foreigners in the airport parking lot. The risk of crime greatly increases at night due to poor security infrastructure and lack of street and building lighting. Visitors practicing good security habits and maintaining a good level of security awareness will significantly reduce their exposure to criminal risks. Note that political demonstrations, festivals, and street celebrations are common and pedestrian traffic can occupy entire thoroughfares, attracting pickpockets.

The increase in narcotics trafficking has contributed to an increase in criminal activity and aggressive assaults in rural areas of Guinea-Bissau. 

Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit.

Review OSAC’s reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security.

Cybersecurity Issues

The government does not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there are no credible reports that the government monitors online communications without appropriate legal authority. Review OSAC’s reports, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices, and Satellite Phones: Critical or Contraband?

Transportation-Safety Situation

Road Safety and Road Conditions

Poor transportation infrastructure presents a significant danger on most roads throughout Guinea-Bissau. Road conditions are extremely poor, and drivers often engage in unsafe behavior. Guinea-Bissau has improved the major transit route between Bissau and the Mpack border crossing to Senegal, but most roadways do not receive regular maintenance.

Traffic conditions in Bissau present numerous challenges. Perpetual construction projects and changing traffic patterns on Avenida dos Combatentes da Liberdade da Patria in central Bissau have led to significant congestion. The erratic, continuous stop-and-go of small transport buses (toca-tocas) and taxis create unpredictable traffic patterns. Drivers should exercise extra caution during the rainy season (June-October) due to flooded roadways and an increased number of potholes.

Since there are land mines left in place from the civil war and the war of independence, travelers should not leave designated roads and pathways and should not drive at night. The land mines exist throughout Guinea-Bissau, including the Bafata, Oio, Biombo, Quinara, and Tombali regions. While there has been significant progress in locating and removing land mines, a substantial number remain.

U.S. government personnel may not travel outside of Bissau at night. The lack of lighting and the poor physical condition of the roads make driving at night dangerous and inadvisable. Poor road conditions and lack of infrastructure hamper local law enforcement and emergency response.

Review OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Department’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad.

Public Transportation Conditions

Prearrange transportation and drivers. Due to the unpredictability of the road conditions and lack of public infrastructure, trusted contracted drivers are the most efficient method of travel.

Several taxi services are available. Exercise caution when selecting a taxi; many are in poor condition. Always negotiate the fare before getting into a taxi. Request that the driver use only the main roads, avoiding shortcuts, and insist on not sharing the taxi with others. If the cab stops to pick up someone else, exit the vehicle. Taxis in Bissau serve as a bus service, in which each passenger pays for one seat.

Avoid using the informal bus system (Bus Rapides or toca-tocas). The vehicles are in poor condition and the drivers often disregard road rules.

Aviation Security

As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Guinea-Bissau, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Guinea-Bissau’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.

Independent vendors and panhandlers solicit from foreigners as they exit the Bissau airport, and there remains a possibility of street criminals approaching foreigners in the airport parking lot.

Review OSAC’s report, Security In Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights.

Terrorism Threat

The U.S. Department of State has assessed Bissau as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. There is an ongoing regional threat of transnational terrorism in West Africa that could spill over into Guinea-Bissau. There are specific security concerns in the poorly policed eastern areas of the country.

Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence

The U.S. Department of State has assessed Bissau as being a HIGH-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.

The armed resistance by the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) against the Senegalese government is the longest running active (albeit low-intensity) separatist conflict in sub-Saharan Africa. MFDC rebels use Guinea-Bissau as a sanctuary. As recently as March 2018, there remained armed conflict near the shared border. Considering the unpredictable nature of MFDC forces, exercise caution when traveling in the northwestern region of Guinea-Bissau along the roads between Mpack, São Domingos, and Varela. Only travel during daylight hours and monitor the local security situation before travel.

Guinea-Bissau held Presidential elections in 2019. While international observers widely viewed the elections as credible, the transition of power became acrimonious and was characterized by an institutional dysfunction in which the army took an outsize role. Reaction to the power transition remains to be seen; it is possible but unconfirmed that institutional or street protests are being held in abeyance by political actors. A legacy of periodic violence and instability means that travelers should monitor the political situation closely.

Civil Unrest 

The government recognizes freedom of assembly/association and authorizes public demonstrations. Demonstrations typically begin/end in front of the Presidential Palace in Praça dos Heróis Nacionais or along Avenida de Combatentes. Most demonstrations are non-violent; however, political and government instability prompts violence among demonstrators. Avoid all public demonstrations. Note that these demonstrations tend to pass by hotels that expats generally stay at, sometimes cutting off street access to the hotels.

In October, opposition parties protested the organization of the presidential election. During the protest, a body was found at an opposition party headquarters under unclear circumstances, with protesters claiming the death resulted from police actions. The Ministry of Interior was investigating the case at year’s end.

In May 2018, the Movement of Nonconforming Citizens filed a complaint against the government with the Economic Community of West African States Community Court of Justice for violation of freedom of peaceful protest.

Review OSAC’s report, Surviving a Protest.

Ethnic and Religious Violence

The media has reported concerns about the increase in Salafist Quranic schools, new mosques with “unvetted” imams, online recruitment of youth to religious radicalism, and the threat these developments pose to the country’s tradition of religious tolerance.

Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment

There is no apparent anti-U.S. sentiment. Foreigners are targets of crime due to perceived wealth, not nationality.

Post-specific Concerns

Environmental Hazards

During the rainy season (June-October), heavy rains cause severe flooding and loss of life.

Critical Infrastructure Concerns

The utility infrastructure is underdeveloped and in poor condition. Electricity and water services are irregular in Bissau and largely unavailable throughout the interior. The lack of infrastructure in Bissau contributes to a costly and unstable working environment. The primary sources of electricity are privately owned diesel generators.

Economic Concerns/Intellectual Property Theft

Counterfeit currency is common among illicit vendors in tourist areas (e.g. the airport, Bandim Market). Avoid using black-market moneychangers.

Personal Identity Concerns

Antidiscrimination laws do not protect individuals based on sexual orientation. Social taboos against homosexuality sometimes restrict freedom to express sexual orientation. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for LGBTI+ travelers.

Gender discrimination prevails due to societal norms based on traditional customs and rules of ethnic groups and religious communities that perpetuate inequalities. Rape, including spousal rape, is a crime punishable by 2-6 years in prison. Domestic violence is widespread. Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is against the law but is still commonly practiced, especially in the north of the country. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for female travelers.

The constitution establishes the separation of religion and state and the responsibility of the state to respect and protect legally recognized religious groups. Review OSAC’s report, Freedom to Practice, and the State Department’s webpage on security for faith-based travelers.

The law does not specifically prohibit discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities. The government does not counter discrimination against persons with disabilities, or provide access for them to buildings, information, and communications. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for travelers with disabilities.

Drug-related Crime

Drug trafficking exacerbates Guinea-Bissau’s instability. Guinea-Bissau is a transit point for narcotics trafficking to Europe from South America. The lack of enforcement capabilities, resources, porous borders, susceptibility to corruption, and the country’s location in relation to Europe, South America, and West Africa provide an opportune environment for traffickers. International drug cartels and other criminal organizations may use the un-policed Bijagos Archipelago off the coast of Bissau, as well as remote airstrips, for trafficking in drugs, arms, and persons. Traffickers use various methods of transportation including commercial and private aviation and maritime charters.

Due to government instability and organized transnational criminal organizations, U.S. businesses should conduct thorough due diligence checks on business partners and investments. International businesses and financiers have expressed concern that drug traffickers can compromise their companies or partners by taking advantage of their legitimate businesses to access shipping resources.

Other Issues

The government takes no steps to preserve the safety and independence of media or to prosecute individuals who threatened journalists. Political considerations often cause journalists to self-censor news content.

Police Response

The police emergency line in Bissau is 117; the fire emergency line is118. Do not depend on these numbers to be in service or result in any assistance.

The international community is assisting Guinea-Bissau with developing judicial and law enforcement capabilities, but corruption continues to exist at all levels of government. Guinea-Bissau ranked 168 out of 180 countries in Transparency International's 2019 Corruption Perception Index (CPI). Police and emergency personnel lack resources to respond to crime and emergency situations effectively. Even if the police do respond to an incident, they usually lack the training and experience to conduct a proper investigation. Download the State Department’s Crime Victims Assistance brochure.

National police forces maintain internal security. The Public Order Police (POP), part of the Interior Ministry, has primary responsibility for responding to preventive patrols, crowd control, emergency incidents, and enforcing traffic laws. The Judicial Police within the Justice Ministry is responsible for major investigations (e.g. terrorism, drug trafficking, terrorism). These two entities have been at odds and have fought and killed opposing agency officers.

Other police forces include the State Information Service (intelligence), Border Police (migration and border enforcement), Rapid Intervention Police, and Maritime Police. The army is responsible for external security, but also has some internal security responsibilities. The government may call upon the armed forces to assist police in emergencies.

All foreign visitors should carry identification (certified copies of passport and/or residence permit). As a rule, the police do not distinguish between original documents and photocopies. Foreigners must present documentation to law enforcement officials if requested.

Guinea-Bissau has not signed the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, nor does the U.S. have an agreement with the government requiring notification of the U.S. Embassy of arrests of U.S. citizens. U.S. citizen victims of bribery or crime, and those detained or arrested should use whatever means of communication available to alert the U.S. Embassy in Dakar or the Bissau Liaison Office of their situation. However, U.S. ability to assist is limited, as there is no U.S. Embassy in Guinea-Bissau.

Medical Emergencies

The medical emergency line in Bissau is 113. Expect little to no medical services, even in Bissau proper. The health care system lacks sufficient pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and medical professionals. Hospitals do not meet Western standards. Private medical clinics or general hospitals may help stabilize serious medical problems while awaiting medical evacuation (medevac). The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling internationally. Review the State Departments webpage on insurance overseas.

Carry a supply of any needed prescription medicines, along with copies of the prescriptions, including the generic name for the medicines, and a supply of preferred over-the-counter medications. Review OSAC’s report, Traveling with Medication.

Contact Information for local Hospitals/Clinics:

• Hospital São Jose de Bor: +245-955-181-718: Surgical capability, urgent care, ventilator capability, best medical facility in the country. Open to the public, cash on delivery. 
• Clínica Madrugada: +245-966-912-342: Constructed in 2016, has surgical capability, inpatient and outpatient with an urgency room. Limited staffing, no ambulance service. 

Malaria, cholera, hepatitis, and other tropical diseases are risks to travelers in Guinea-Bissau. The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance for Guinea-Bissau.

Review OSAC’s reports, The Healthy Way, I’m Drinking What in My Water?, Shaken: The Don’ts of Alcohol Abroad, Health 101: How to Prepare for Travel, and Fire Safety Abroad.

OSAC Country Council Information

There is no formal OSAC Country Council in Bissau. Interested organizations are welcome to join the Dakar Country Council, which also covers U.S. private-sector interests in Guinea-Bissau, to discuss regional security concerns. Contact OSAC’s Africa team for more information or to join.

U.S. Embassy Contact Information

The U.S. Liaison Office in Bissau (BLO) employs local personnel. The BLO can provide limited services to U.S. citizens in an emergency but provides no consular services. 

• U.S. Bissau Liaison Office: Edifício SITEC, Rua José Carlos Schwarz, 245, Bairro d’Ajuda, Bissau 

Tel: +1 202 536-5898 

Hours of Operation: 0800-1730, Monday-Friday 

Virtual Post Presence: https://gw.usmission.gov 

Coordinate all security and consular services through the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal. 

• U.S. Embassy Dakar: Route des Almadies, Dakar, Senegal 

Embassy Operator +221-33-879-4000 

Emergency After-hours: +221-33-879-4000/4444 

Hours of Operation: 0800-1700 Monday-Thursday; 0800-1300 Friday 

Website: https://sn.usembassy.gov/  

Helpful Information

Before you travel, consider the following resources:

• OSAC Risk Matrix
• OSAC Travelers Toolkit
• State Department Traveler’s Checklist
• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)