On behalf of the United States of America, I extend greetings and congratulations to the people and government of Guinea-Bissau on the 49th anniversary of your independence.

On this special day, we reiterate our commitment to expanding ties between the United States and Guinea-Bissau so that we may better promote our shared interests in peace, security, and growth in Guinea-Bissau and throughout the region.  We congratulate Guinea-Bissau on its selection as Chair of the Economic Community of West African States and look forward to supporting you in this vital role.

As your nation celebrates its Independence Day, we wish the Bissau-Guinean people prosperity in the years to come and reaffirm the strong bonds between our two countries.