West African leaders have placed a suspension on Guinea-Bissau following the military takeover of November 26, saying the action has pushed the country into deeper political uncertainty.
The regional bloc stressed that democratic order must return immediately and demanded the release of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who was seized during the crisis.
This decision came after an emergency virtual meeting of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council held on Thursday night.
The session, chaired by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, brought together heads of state, foreign ministers, and top representatives from several member countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, Cabo Verde, and Côte d’Ivoire. Senior officials from Benin, The Gambia, and Togo were also part of the deliberations.
Officials from the ECOWAS Commission, the African Union, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, and Guinea-Bissau’s foreign minister joined the meeting as observers.
The atmosphere was tense, as the council reviewed a detailed report submitted by ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray on the escalating situation.
In the briefing, leaders raised alarm over the disruption of the electoral process in the country.
They commended ordinary citizens for their “resilience and commitment to democracy” despite the tension surrounding the November 23 polls. The council noted that the takeover has undermined confidence in the democratic transition.
ECOWAS, in its formal resolution, said it “condemns in the strongest terms the coup d’état perpetrated on 26 November 2025 and calls for the unconditional restoration of constitutional order without delay.”
The bloc added that 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 regional body insisted that the electoral commission must be allowed to continue its work and release results from the suspended vote. It demanded that the “will of the people” be respected and urged coup leaders to stop interfering with the electoral process.
The communiqué further called for the “immediate and unconditional release of all detained officials, in particular President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, as well as the electoral officials and all other political figures.”
ECOWAS warned that the masterminds of the coup would be held “both individually and collectively responsible for the protection of life and property of all citizens and residents of Guinea-Bissau and for the security and safety of all detainees.”
The council instructed the military to guarantee safe access for ECOWAS observers and international partners still monitoring the election.
It stated that “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.”
To address the crisis, a high-level delegation led by the ECOWAS chair and supported by the presidents of Togo, Cabo Verde, and Senegal will travel to Bissau for direct engagement with the coup leaders. Their mandate is to push for the swift reinstatement of democratic governance.
The bloc urged the military high command to step back from politics, return to the barracks, and uphold their constitutional responsibilities. ECOWAS also directed its Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau to continue safeguarding state institutions in the meantime.
In a sign of escalating pressure, the organisation warned that it “reserves the right to use all options” allowed under its protocols, including sanctions, if the junta continues to defy the regional position.
The African Union and the European Union also issued strong reactions, condemning the coup and demanding the release of President Embaló.
Senegal confirmed on Thursday that the detained president had been flown into the country “safe and sound.”
Political tensions had been rising even before the coup, as the electoral race between President Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa grew fiercely competitive.
Dias da Costa later told reporters that he believed he won the vote and accused Embaló of manipulating the process—an allegation the president firmly denied.
Following the takeover, the military named General Horta N’Tam, the army chief of staff, as the head of a one-year transition. After taking his oath, he told the nation, “I have just been sworn in to lead the High Command.”
Guinea-Bissau has a long history of political instability, and this latest development has once again placed the fragile nation at the centre of regional diplomatic attention.
