Conakry

Conakry is Guinea's capital and the seat of the military junta (CNRD) that seized power in September 2021. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya's regime initially promised democratic transition but repeatedly postponed milestones—missing the December 2024 election deadline before organizing late-2025 elections where Doumbouya himself stood for president amid a fragmented opposition. January 2025 protests against the postponement met violent crackdown, with casualties and mass arrests. Conakry's poverty rate of 15.7% contrasts sharply with rural areas (72.4% in Labé), creating an urban-rural divide that fuels political tension. The city benefits from mining wealth—growth projected at 6.7% average through 2028 from bauxite expansion and Simandou iron ore—but 46.6% of Guineans live below the poverty line nationally. Guinea ranks 182nd of 191 in HDI despite holding one-third of global bauxite reserves. The junta's Simandou 2040 plan promises diversification into agriculture, education, and technology, but Chinese mining investment increasingly enables the regime's power consolidation. Conakry faces restricted media, opposition suppression, and infrastructure deficits—a capital city where mineral billions flow through while basic services lag.