Putin hosts Guinea-Bissau leader as Russia builds Africa ties

President Vladimir Putin hosted Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo for talks in the Kremlin on Wednesday, the latest sign of a drive by Moscow to build up economic and security relationships with countries in west and central Africa.

State TV showed Russian metals tycoon Oleg Deripaska was present at the talks between the two leaders. Russian and Portuguese news outlets have quoted a Guinea-Bissau minister as saying Russian aluminium company Rusal is interested in building a railway and port in the country and exploring for bauxite.

Embalo took office in 2020 and his term expires this year, although there is a dispute with the opposition over the timing of the next election. The opposition has vowed to bring the country to a standstill on Thursday in the row which centres on when Embalo's mandate runs out.

Embalo has said there have been two attempts to overthrow him, the most recent in December 2023. After that incident, which involved gunfire and clashes in the capital, he dissolved the opposition-controlled parliament, accusing it of passivity.

Russia has built security ties in recent years with a series of African countries, sending thousands of mercenaries to support military leaders and help them fight insurgents. It was not clear if any such deals were on the agenda for Wednesday's meeting.

For Moscow, the assignments are a way to make money from government fees and economic opportunities in mining or energy, while eroding the influence in the region of former colonial powers, particularly France. Guinea-Bissau is a former Portuguese colony that gained independence in 1974.