Guinea-Bissau gets suspended from AU following military takeover
This decision by the AU’s Peace and Security Council comes two days after the military seized
power and removed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. The Council “strongly condemned the Nov. 26 military coup in Guinea-Bissau, rejecting it as an unconstitutional change of government in violation of AU norms, and immediately suspended the country from all AU activities until constitutional order is restored,” according to reports.
The emergency session of the Council on Friday also called for the unconditional release of detained electoral officials and political figures. It urged regional and international partners, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), the UN, and other organizations, to support the rapid restoration of constitutional rule in Guinea-Bissau.
A group of military officers, identifying themselves as the "High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order," announced on Wednesday that they had “assumed full powers of the state” and deposed Embalo. The military named Gen. Horta Inta-A as transitional president for a one-year period.
The coup occurred amid disputes over the Nov. 23 presidential election, with both independent candidate Fernando Dias and Embalo’s camp claiming victory as official results were still pending. The AU’s Peace and Security Council urged the military to “allow the completion of the electoral process and respect the will of the people.”
The move was condemned internationally, with UN officials denouncing it as a breach of democratic principles. ECOWAS also suspended Guinea-Bissau from all decision-making bodies.
The AU endorsed ECOWAS’ actions and warned that targeted sanctions may follow “if the junta continues interfering in political processes.”
The AU directed its Commission to work closely with ECOWAS, provide stabilization support, ensure the safety of electoral observers, and set up a monitoring mechanism. Embalo, who had been seeking a second term, was initially detained by the military on Wednesday but later fled to Senegal after being released.
A high-level ECOWAS delegation, including the presidents of neighboring countries, is expected in the capital, Bissau, over the weekend to engage with the situation.
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