Only Genuine Human Conversion can Build a Just Guinea-Bissau: Catholic Bishop

The West African nation has also struggled with corruption and weak institutions in the aftermath of the December 2025 military coup that brought the military junta to power.

Reflecting on the country’s recent history, the Bissau-Guinean member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap.) said, “The people of Guinea-Bissau have lived for decades under the weight of institutional crises, social tensions, coups d’état, and successive economic hardships.”

He emphasized that lasting national progress requires the active commitment of every citizen.

“The country’s stability and progress do not depend solely on its institutions, but also on the individual and collective responsibility of every citizen,” Bishop Quematcha said.

While acknowledging the nation’s challenges, the 57-year-old Catholic Bishop expressed hope that Guinea-Bissau can achieve lasting peace and development if its people embrace the values of truth, justice, honesty, and the common good.

“The true stability of a nation will only be achieved when its citizens remain faithful to the values of truth, justice, honesty, and the common good,” he said.

Bishop Quematcha emphasized that the Gospel calls Christians to go beyond identifying society’s problems by allowing God’s message to transform their lives.

“The Gospel does not merely denounce society’s problems; above all, it is an invitation to a profound examination of conscience,” he said.

He reiterated that the country’s future depends on a moral renewal that begins with each individual.

“The transformation of citizens’ consciences is an essential condition for changing the course of the country,” Bishop Quematcha said.