AU, ECOWAS, West African Elders Condemn Guinea-Bissau Military Coup

The African Union (AU) Election Observation Mission, ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, and the West African Elders Forum have voiced serious concern over the military coup in Guinea-Bissau, following the country’s recent elections.

In a joint statement released Thursday, the heads of the missions and forum—Filipe Nyusi, former President of Mozambique; Issifu Kamara; and former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan—highlighted the orderly and peaceful conduct of the presidential and legislative elections prior to the military’s intervention.

“We commend the people of Guinea-Bissau for their strong civic engagement, and professionalism demonstrated by polling staff, security personnel, presidential candidates, and party agents throughout the voting process,” the statement said.

However, the group expressed alarm over the announcement of a coup while the nation awaited official election results. “It is regrettable that this announcement came at a time when the missions had just concluded a meeting with the two leading presidential candidates, who assured us of their willingness to accept the will of the people. We deplore this blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains that have been achieved thus far,” the statement added.

The AU, ECOWAS, and Elders Forum called on regional bodies to take immediate action to restore constitutional order. They also raised concerns over the arrests of top electoral officials, urging the military to release them to allow the electoral process to continue.

The statement further appealed to the citizens of Guinea-Bissau to remain calm, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and the well-being of the population during this sensitive period.

The coup occurred after the nation held presidential and legislative elections on November 23, and military officers declared that they had seized power, removed the president, and suspended the electoral process.

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