Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has placed Guinea-Bissau under suspension.
Gatekeepers News reports that ECOWAS said that the country will remain barred from all decision-making organs of the bloc until constitutional governance is fully restored.
The announcement came through a communique released late Thursday following an emergency virtual summit of regional heads of state convened to address the unfolding political crisis.
Recall that Military officers seized power on November 26, halted the electoral process, and declared themselves in charge until further notice.
The intervention occurred just as the nation awaited the release of election results and only weeks after the government claimed it had foiled an earlier attempted coup ahead of campaign activities.
Following the takeover, the coup leaders detained President Umaro Embaló, who was seeking another term, along with several senior officials, including the interior minister and top military commanders.
ECOWAS, in its communique, demanded the immediate release of all detained authorities and stressed that its 2001 Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance empowers the bloc to impose such suspensions in response to unconstitutional changes of government.
The regional body also established a high-level mediation team led by Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé, Cabo Verde’s President Jose Neves, and Senegal’s President Bassirou Faye to engage the junta and press for the reinstatement of democratic order.
ECOWAS leaders further called on the Guinea-Bissau armed forces to withdraw to their barracks and uphold their constitutional duties.
