Guinea-Bissau 'to tackle drugs'

This is Malam Bacai Sanha's second spell leading Guinea-Bissau

New President Malam Bacai Sanha has promised to end Guinea-Bissau's role as a major global drug trafficking hub.

Without giving further details, he promised to tackle the drugs trade, terrorism and organised crime.

Latin American drugs cartels use Guinea-Bissau and some of its West African neighbours, as transit points to smuggle cocaine into Europe.

President Sanha took office earlier this month, succeeding Joao Bernardo Vieira, who was assassinated in March.

"I can today assure you that Guinea-Bissau will no long be a hub for drug trafficking," he said in a speech to mark the country's 36th anniversary of independence from Portugal.

After years of instability and military coups, poverty-stricken Guinea-Bissau is seen by some as a "narco-state".

Senior military officials have been accused of links to the drugs trade.

On Wednesday, China promised some 1m euros ($1.46m; £917,000) to help feed the Guinea-Bissau army, among other aid pledges, reports the Reuters news agency.