Information on the Union for Progress and Renewal (UPR) was very limited among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response.

The UPR was established by the merger of two other political parties-the Party for Renewal and Progress (PRP) and the Union for the New Republic (UNR) (Afrique Express 23 March 2004; Political Handbook of the World 2002, 449; Europa 2004, 2004 1991)-in 1998 (ibid.; Political Handbook of the World 2002, 449). Its president is Ousmane Bah, and its vice-president is Assiatou Siradiou Diallo (Aminata 22 Nov. 2004; L'Observateur n.d.).

In the latest legislative elections on 30 June 2002, the UPR won 20 per cent of the vote (Elections Around the World 10 Feb. 2005; Africa Elections Database n.d.), and 20 of the 114 representatives elected were UPR members (Afrique Express 23 March 2004; Africa Elections Database n.d.; Elections Around the World 10 Feb. 2005). These results put the UPR in second place, behind the leading Party for Unity and Progress (PUP), which has 85 elected representatives (Africa Elections Database n.d.; Elections Around the World 10 Feb. 2005).

No information on the UPR's organization or the treatment of UPR members by the government authorities could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, one source referred to a meeting of UPR members in Brussels on 22 November 2004, and noted the presence of federal UPR agencies in Western Europe and North America (Aminata 22 Nov. 2004). The same source noted that a delegation of the party's [translation] "national leadership" attended that meeting; the delegation was reported to have consisted of the UPR's president, its vice-president, and Ousmane Diallo, a member of the National Assembly (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Africa Elections Database. N.d. "Elections in Guinea." http://africanelections.tripod.com/gn.html [Accessed 22 July 2005]

Afrique-Express [Paris]. 23 March 2004. No. 290. "Décès de l'opposant guinéen Siradiou Diallo." http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/OUEST/guinee/guineepol/290decesdelopposant.htm [Accessed 26 July 2005]

Aminata. 22 November 2004. "La messe de l'UPR à Bruxelles." http://www.africatime.com/guinee/nouvelle.asp?no_nouvelle=157036&no_categorie=1 [Accessed 27 July 2005]

Elections Around the World. 10 February 2005. "Elections in Guinea." http://www.electionworld.org/guinea.htm [Accessed 26 July 2005]

Europa World Year Book 2004. 2004. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications Ltd.

L'Observateur. Nouhou Baldé. "Anniversaire de la disparition de l'honorable Siradiou Diallo : l'UPR mobilise du monde à Labé." http://observateur.radio-kankan.com/549.0.html [Accessed 27 July 2005]

Political Handbook of the World: 2000-2002. 2003. Edited by Arthur S. Banks and Thomas C. Muller. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.

Publications: Africa Confidential, Afrique Research Bulletin, Resource Centre country file, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent.

Internet sites, including: Afrik.com, AllAfrica, Amnesty International, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI.net), Guinea-future.org, Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Crisis Group (ICG), Lynx, Political Parties of the World, ReliefWeb, United Kingdom Immigration and Nationality Directorate, United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), United States Department of State.