Guinea-Bissau's transitional president, Horta Inta-a, and Prime Minister Ilídio Vieira Té visited Bissau's commercial port on October 28 to follow the dredging of its navigation channel and berths, which the prime minister's office said were due to begin, state news agency ANG reported. The president said the deeper channel should allow two to four ships to berth at once, easing queues during the cashew export season.
Analysis: Officials have given conflicting accounts of whether dredging has begun: the president described work under way, while the prime minister's office said it was about to start. BOAD, which finances the project, had originally projected completion by summer 2026 and a reduction in average ship stays to two days from five. Further delays could prolong shipping, insurance and berthing costs, especially during the cashew export season. The benefits will also depend on the channel depth achieved and ongoing maintenance. No revised completion date has been disclosed, leaving the 2027 cashew season an important test.
Source: Agência de Notícias da Guiné (state news agency, Bissau), ANG, '¨Dragagem do Porto de Bissau vai facilitar a exportação da castanha de caju¨, diz PR Transição', October 28, 2026, October 2026; Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement, BOAD press release, Bissau, 26 Jan 2026, launch of Bissau port dredging works, After completion (planned summer 2026); International Monetary Fund, IMF Country Report No. 26/140, Eleventh Review under the ECF arrangement, Appendix I Letter of Intent, 2026 campaign