The Heads of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM), and the West African Elders Forum have jointly expressed strong concern over the sudden announcement of a coup d’état by the armed forces of Guinea-Bissau, coming just hours after the peaceful conduct of the country’s presidential and legislative elections.
In a statement signed by H.E. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, Head of the AUEOM and former President of Mozambique; H.E. Issifu Baba BraÃmah Kamara, Head of the ECOWAS EOM; and H.E. Goodluck Jonathan, Head of the West African Elders Forum and former President of Nigeria, the missions commended the people of Guinea-Bissau for their orderly participation in the 23 November 2025 elections.
The observers praised citizens’ strong civic engagement and highlighted the professionalism displayed by polling officials, security personnel, and party agents during the voting process.
However, the missions expressed deep concern over the sudden military intervention, calling it “a blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains achieved thus far.” The leaders revealed that the coup announcement came shortly after they had met with the two leading presidential candidates—both of whom had committed to respecting the will of the people.
The joint statement condemned the arrests of top officials, including those responsible for overseeing the electoral process, and called for their immediate release so the vote tallying and announcement of results can proceed without intimidation.
The missions urged the African Union and ECOWAS to take decisive steps to restore constitutional order in the country.
They also appealed for calm among citizens and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Guinea-Bissau on its democratic path. The statement underscored the need to safeguard peace, stability, and the well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people during this critical period.
The situation remains fluid as regional bodies prepare to respond to the unfolding political crisis.
