BISSAU / DAKAR, Senegal — The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Thursday suspended Guinea-Bissau from all its decision-making bodies in response to a military coup that deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, plunging the fragile West African nation into yet another cycle of political turmoil. The suspension, announced after an Extraordinary Virtual Summit of Heads of State and Government, underscores the regional bloc’s firm stance against unconstitutional changes of government, a recurring threat in the region.
The decision was made by ECOWAS’s Mediation and Security Council, chaired by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, who expressed deep concern over the escalating crisis. The bloc decided, in accordance with the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance of 2001, to suspend Guinea-Bissau from all decision-making bodies until full constitutional order is restored. ECOWAS strongly condemned the coup, which occurred on Wednesday, and demanded the immediate return to constitutional rule, rejecting any arrangement that would perpetuate the subversion of the democratic process and the will of the people.
The crisis erupted just days after Guinea-Bissau held combined presidential and legislative elections on November 23, 2025. Incumbent President Embalo and his main challenger, independent candidate Fernando Dias da Costa, both prematurely declared victory on Monday, raising fears of post-election violence while the country awaited official results from the National Electoral Commission (CNE). Voter turnout exceeded 65 percent, and international observers from the African Union and ECOWAS described the voting as generally peaceful despite a highly polarized atmosphere.
On Wednesday afternoon, heavy gunfire broke out in Bissau near the presidential palace, the CNE headquarters, and the Ministry of the Interior. A group of military officers calling themselves the “High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order” announced on state television that they had assumed full control of the state, citing the need to prevent alleged electoral fraud and interference by “narcotraffickers” and corrupt politicians.
President Embalo, a former army brigadier general, confirmed in a telephone interview with international media that he had been detained in his office. He described the events as a classic military coup. Reports indicated he was treated correctly but held alongside senior electoral officials and other political figures.
By Thursday, the military had consolidated power. Major-General Horta Inta-A, a former chief of staff and close ally of President Embalo who had recently served as his special adviser on defense and security, was sworn in as transitional president at the army headquarters in Bissau. In his first address, Gen. Inta-A announced a one-year transition period aimed at restoring constitutional order and combating threats to democracy. He simultaneously appointed Major-General Tomas Djassi as the new chief of the armed forces general staff. The junta declared that movement restrictions and the nationwide curfew imposed during the takeover would be lifted effective Friday, and schools would reopen immediately. Borders were also reopened to allow the departure of international election observers.
ECOWAS responded swiftly, urging the armed forces to return to barracks and respect their constitutional role. The bloc demanded that the National Electoral Commission be allowed to announce the election results without interference, that President Embalo and all other detainees be released unconditionally, and that the safety of citizens, residents, and international observers be guaranteed. A high-level mediation mission comprising presidents from Senegal, Togo, Sierra Leone, and Cape Verde was dispatched to Bissau to engage the coup leaders and explore pathways back to constitutional rule. ECOWAS reserved the right to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for undermining democracy.
The United Nations also condemned the takeover. Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern and strongly condemned any attempt to subvert constitutional order through force. He called for the immediate restoration of legitimate institutions and the unconditional release of all detained officials.
President Embalo managed to leave the country on Thursday and arrived safely in neighboring Senegal aboard a government-chartered aircraft. Senegal’s Foreign Ministry confirmed his safe arrival and stated that Dakar had remained in constant contact with all parties in Bissau to facilitate the evacuation of detainees and international missions.
Opposition leader Fernando Dias da Costa, supported by the historic PAIGC party, rejected the coup and accused Embalo of staging a “self-coup” to avoid electoral defeat. Dias claimed he had won the presidency outright and urged the African Union, ECOWAS, and the United Nations to protect the true election results.
Guinea-Bissau has suffered chronic instability since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, experiencing at least nine successful or attempted coups. Extreme poverty affects more than 70 percent of the population, ethnic and political divisions run deep, and the country remains a major transit hub for cocaine moving from South America to Europe, fueling corruption and narco-influence in politics.
This latest coup is the ninth unconstitutional takeover in West and Central Africa in the past five years, further testing ECOWAS cohesion at a time when Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have withdrawn from the bloc following their own military seizures of power. Analysts warn of possible regional spillover effects, including refugee movements and increased drug trafficking.
As of Thursday evening, Bissau remained tense but calm, with soldiers maintaining a visible presence on the streets. Businesses stayed closed, and residents moved cautiously despite the lifting of the curfew. International mediators are now racing against time to prevent Guinea-Bissau from sliding deeper into prolonged military rule and to salvage what remains of its fragile democratic process.
