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Parliament in Guinea-Bissau has convened for the first time in nearly two years, reports the AFP news agency.

The parliament has not been able to function because the president sacked the prime minister and the ruling party was not able to agree on a new candidate.

It all started with squabbles over international aid money, according to insiders who spoke to journalist Lorraine Mallinder.

In 2015 donors pledged $1.5bn (£1bn) to Guinea-Bissau.

President José Mario Vaz wanted to use the money for private agriculture project in his home village but then-Prime Minister Domingos Simões Pereira resisted, the sources suggested.

A few months later the president sacked Mr Pereira.

However, the ruling party sided with the sacked prime minister and a stalemate ensued, with the two sides unable to agree on a replacement.

Earlier this year the West African regional body Ecowas imposed sanctions on the country and finally on Monday the president named veteran politician Aristides Gomes as the new prime minister, reports VOA news.