From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Guinea Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 19:26:55 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:2053 Path: world!bzs Message-ID: <199901151429_MC2-66CC-6C8@compuserve.com> Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Approved: usenet@world.std.com Distribution: wstd Precedence: bulk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-List-Info: LN=travel-advisories WHOM=76702.1202@compuserve.com Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mime-Version: 1.0 Lines: 155 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Guinea ============================================================ Guinea - Consular Information Sheet July 13, 1998 Country Description: Guinea is a developing West African country with minimal facilities for tourism. The capital city is Conakry. Travelers should make Conakry hotel reservations in advance. Entry Requirements: A passport and visa are required. There is an airport departure tax. Travelers should obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of the Republic of Guinea, 2112 Leroy Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 483-9420. Overseas inquiries should be made to the nearest Guinean Embassy or Consulate. Areas of Instability: Guinea has experienced occasional civil unrest in the capital and in larger towns in all regions of the country. Although the last two years have been relatively quiet, 1998 is an election year, so there may be a rise in election-related civil unrest. At no time, however, have U.S. citizens been targeted in any demonstration-related unrest. Instability in neighboring countries can create tense situations in towns bordering Liberia and Sierra Leone. The borders between Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone are strictly controlled. Leaving the country is easy, but re-entry can be challenging, even for U.S. citizens. Medical Facilities: Medical facilities are extremely limited. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. Travelers have found that supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas and medical evacuation coverage has proven to be useful. For additional health information, travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's International Travelers toll-free hotlines 1-888-232-3228 (phone) or 1-888-232-3299 (autofax) or via the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov. Crime Information: In an effort to counter urban crime, the Guinean government maintains roadblocks from midnight to 6 a.m. Residential and street crime is common. Banditry near the Sierra Leone and Liberia borders has also been reported. Criminals particularly target visitors at the airport, in the traditional markets, and near hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners. Visitors should avoid unsolicited offers of assistance at the airport or hotels as these people may be seeking opportunities to steal luggage, purses or wallets. Travelers should arrange to be met at the airport by hotel personnel, family members or business contacts so as to reduce vulnerability to these crimes of opportunity. Commercial scams and disputes with local business partners have occasionally created legal difficulties for U.S. citizens. The ability of the U.S. Embassy to extricate U.S. citizens from illegal business deals is extremely limited. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and to the U.S. Embassy. The pamphlets, "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa," provide useful information on protecting personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general. Both are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, via the Internet at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs, or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Restrictions on Photography: Visitors are advised to restrict photography to private gatherings. Explicit permission from the Guinean government should be obtained before photographing military and transportation facilities, government buildings or public works. Visitors should note that taking a photograph without permission in any public area may provoke a response from security personnel or offend the people being photographed. Currency Regulations: Western Union has an office off the Avenue of the Republic in downtown Conakry. Money transfers have worked successfully. Credit cards are rarely accepted, except at the two major hotels in Conakry. Credit card cash advances are not available at local banks. Inter-bank fund transfers are possible at the "BICIGUI", a local bank, but can be difficult and expensive. All travelers to Guinea should be aware that they are prohibited from having more that 5,000 Guinean francs (about $4 U.S.) in their possession when they leave the country. Telephones: Privatization has improved the communication system. Several cellular phone services are available. A number of public phones operate by locally purchased phone cards. Telephones are available in Conakry and in other major towns and hotels. Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions which differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Guinea is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance: Safety of Public Transportation: Poor Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor Availability of Roadside Assistance: Poor Guinea's road network, both paved and unpaved, is underdeveloped and unsafe. Roads and vehicles are poorly maintained. There are few road and traffic signs. Livestock and pedestrians create constant road hazards. Drivers are poorly trained and road safety rules are routinely ignored. Night time travel is inadvisable because of the large number of animals and people on the roads, and roads and vehicles are frequently unlighted. Rental vehicles with drivers are available from agencies at major hotels in Conakry. Bush taxis, although available, are not considered a safe alternative. Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service by local carriers at present, nor economic authority to operate such service, between the U.S. and Guinea, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Guinea's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Guinea's air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet Home Page at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288. Domestic airlines offer services to most interior cities, often to rudimentary dirt landing strips. Embassy Location/Registration: U.S. citizens are encouraged to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Conakry, and to obtain updated information on travel and security in Guinea. The U.S. Embassy is located at 2nd Blvd. and 9th Ave. in Conakry. The mailing address is B.P. 603, Conakry, Guinea. The telephone number is (224) 41-15-20/21/23. The fax number is (224) 41-15-22. No. 98-97 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated April 24, 1998 to update information on Currency Regulations and Traffic Safety and Road Conditions. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. 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