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Guinea-Bissau: 'National Unity' Government Takes Office
Bissau, Feb. 22 (Lusa) - Embattled President Nino Vieira swore in Guinea-Bissau's post-war "national unity" government Saturday, installing a cabinet almost equally divided between ministers appointed by the president and the rebel Military Junta.
Under the Nov. 2 peace accord which ended the country's armed forces rebellion, the prime responsibility Prime Minister Francisco Fadul's cabinet will be to prepare presidential and legislative elections.
At the swearing in ceremony at the presidential palace, Vieira was flanked by rebel leader Brig. Ansumane Mane, the former armed forces chief who tapped Fadul to head the transition government.
Attending the ceremony was Togolese Prime Minister Kwassi Klutse, whose country currently heads the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
ECOWAS brokered the Guinea-Bissau peace accord and is providing a peacekeeping force.
Other foreign dignitaries at the swearing included Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, who formally invited Fadul to visit Portugal, and the executive-secretary of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), Marcolino Moco of Angola.
Gama told reporters Lisbon hoped the installation of the new government marked "an irreversible step toward a reconciled, free, prosperous, sovereign and independent Guinea-Bissau."