The Honorable James P. Zumwalt, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, presented his letter of credence to H.E. José Mário Vaz, President of Guinea-Bissau, at Guinea-Bissau’s Presidential Palace on Tuesday, March 10, 2015. Ambassador Zumwalt and President Vaz expressed the desire of both countries to increase bilateral cooperation.
Following the presentation of letters of credence, Ambassador Zumwalt stayed in Guinea-Bissau through March 14 to meet with government officials, military leaders, foreign ambassadors, international organization officials, missionaries, businessmen, women’s organizations, journalists and members of civil society. In the course of these meetings, Bissau-Guineans shared their views on a broad range of issues including sustaining progress on democratic governance and economic growth in Guinea-Bissau.
Specific meetings included:
• Domingos Simões Pereira, Prime Minister
• Carmelita Pires, Minister of Justice
• Valentina Mendes, Minister of Health
• Geraldo Martin, Minister of Economy and Finance
• Angela Pereira, Minister of Women, Family, and Social Cohesion
• General Biagué Nantam, Chief of Staff, Army
• Joao Bernardo Vieira, Secretary of State for Transportation and Communication
• Cadi Seidi, Minister of National Defense
In addition, the Ambassador met with various members of civil society and visited several projects that receive American support:
• American Corner at Institut Nationale des Études et Recherche (INEP) of Bissau
• Hospital Nacional Simão Mendes, where he delivered a donation of International Partnership Health Development medical supplies; and visited U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on assignment in Bissau
• Association for Rehabilitation and Integration of the Blind at the Bengala Branca Music School, “Friends of Children” AMIC Reinsertion Center and Lar Bethel Orphanage, which are all supported with grants from the Ambassador’s Self-Help Grant Program
• Military Language Lab financed by the U.S. Department of Defense
• Training program for journalists and technical staff of community radio station Voz de Quélélé
