AU, ECOWAS condemn Guinea-Bissau coup, note that candidates had pledged to accept election results
Observation missions from the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) have strongly condemned the military takeover in Guinea-Bissau, describing it as a deeply regrettable act that threatens the country’s democratic process.
The coup occurred at a critical moment, just as the nation awaited the official announcement of results from the presidential elections held last Sunday.
The two leading contenders in the race, incumbent Umaro Sissoco Embaló and challenger Fernando Dias, had earlier publicly pledged to accept the outcome of the vote.
In a joint statement released Wednesday, the observer missions, led by former Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi for AU, ECOWAS head Issifu Kamara and ex-Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan for the WAEF, condemned the seizure of power as “a blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains achieved thus far.”
They noted that the coup unfolded immediately after a meeting in which both frontrunners reiterated their commitment to respect the will of the people.
The military takeover reportedly saw the arrest of President Embaló, along with key officials including top military staff and interior ministers, at the presidential palace.
The AU-ECOWAS-WAEF team has called on the armed forces to release all detained officials without delay, so the electoral process may resume and reach a lawful conclusion.
With the national electoral commission scheduled to declare results soon, the takeover has plunged Guinea-Bissau into deep uncertainty, threatening both political stability and the legitimacy of the vote.