The Guinean President explained that Guinea-Bissau "does not have extradition in the law" and said he will call his counterpart from the Central African Republic "to find out what is going on". Sissoco Embaló is in Cape Verde to attend today's commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of political prisoners from the Tarrafal concentration camp, where he said he was surprised by the news of the issuance of an international arrest warrant against former President Bozizé. 

The Guinean head of state recalled that Guinea-Bissau was asked to grant exile to Bozizé, within the framework of the African Union.

The Guinean President noted that the former leader of the CAR since he was exiled in Bissau "has not done anything contrary to his status" and that his country's intention to order his extradition caught him by surprise. 

"What we know is that since he arrived in Guinea-Bissau, he has not created any problems. He is here as an exile, like us, during our struggle for independence, we had exiles in other countries", said Embaló.

François Bozizé lives in a house in the centre of Bissau and is regularly seen in the streets and on Sundays he usually attends mass at the Cathedral of the Guinean capital a few metres from his residence. A Special Criminal Court of the Central African Republic has issued an international arrest warrant against the former President of the country, François Bozizé, exiled in Bissau, since March 2023.

A press release from this court, issued in Bangui, the capital of the CAR, reports the intention to arrest and extradite Bozizé, 76, to stand trial for crimes committed by members of his Presidential Guard. Having come to power in 2003 through a military coup, having overthrown President Ange Félix Patassé, François Bozizé, a Christian, is accused of being responsible for the crimes committed by his Presidential Guard between 2009 and 2013. 

He was removed from power, also through a military coup, led by Michel Diottadi, a Muslim who led a coalition of rebels against Bozizé. Since then and because he is accused by Bangui of leading coup attempts to return to power, François Bozizé has lived from country to country as an exile or refugee.

In March 2023 and at the request of the Community of Central African States (CEMAC), Bozizé, who came from Chad, was welcomed in Bissau by the Guinean President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who announced that he was in the country as an exile, "but for purely humanitarian reasons". In the last 20 years, the CAR has lived in turmoil, with regular reports of coup attempts, with Bozizé as a suspect. Portugal and other countries are part of a UN blue helmet force, MINUSCA, which tries to keep the peace in that country.

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