ECOWAS, on Thursday, November 27, has suspended Guinea-Bissau from all its decision-making bodies following the military coup that removed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló from power.
The decision, taken by the bloc’s Mediation and Security Council after an Extraordinary Virtual Summit chaired by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, reflected deep concern over the escalating political crisis.
ECOWAS condemned the coup, urged the armed Forces to return to the barracks, and insisted that constitutional governance be restored without delay.
The bloc demanded the immediate release of all detained officials and called for the National Electoral Commission to proceed swiftly with announcing the results of the 23 November elections. A mediation mission will be dispatched to Bissau, with ECOWAS reserving the right to impose sanctions on those deemed responsible for undermining the democratic process.
The United Nations also issued a strong condemnation, with Secretary-General António Guterres calling for the unconditional restoration of constitutional order and the release of detained authorities. President Embaló has since fled to Senegal, where authorities confirmed his safe arrival.
Meanwhile, military officers identifying themselves as the “High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order” have taken full control of state power, appointing General Horta Inta-A as transitional president and naming new military leadership. The junta announced the lifting of curfews and movement restrictions from Friday as the country awaits clarity in the wake of contested electoral claims and deepening instability.