Coup: ECOWAS suspends Guinea-Bissau
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies following the coup in the country.
The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC), late Thursday.
“The MSC decides, in accordance with the provisions of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance 2001 (A/SP/12/01), to suspend Guinea-Bissau from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies until the restoration of full and effective constitutional order in the country,” the statement announcing the decision of the body read.
The MSC also condemned the coup, calling for the unconditional restoration of constitutional order and rejected any arrangements that subvert the democratic process or the will of the people.
The council demanded that the military leaders respect the electoral process, allow the National Electoral Commission to declare results without delay, and release all detained officials, including President Umaro Embaló, electoral officials, and other political figures.
The MSC further asked that the coup leaders guarantee the safe passage of international election observers, including those from ECOWAS.
The Council said, “It rejects any arrangements that perpetuate the illegal abortion of the democratic process and the subversion of the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau.”
The MSC demanded that “the leaders of the coup respect the will of the people and allow the National Electoral Commission to proceed without delay with the declaration of the results of the elections of 23 November 2025.”
To facilitate this, ECOWAS announced that a high-level mediation mission will engage the coup leaders.
The mission will include President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo, President José Neves of Cabo Verde, and President Bassirou Faye of Senegal, accompanied by the President of the ECOWAS Commission.
On Wednesday , a group of army officers in Guinea-Bissau announced the suspension of the country’s electoral process and declared that they were taking control “until further notice.”
The officials, who described themselves as the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order,” removed Mr Embalo from power, halted the electoral process, closed the country’s borders, and planned to enforce a curfew.
On Thursday, the soldiers swore in a military leader who had served as the Chief of Army Staff, Horta Inta-A, as the transitional President, while Mr Embalo fled to Senegal.
