BISSAU – In a joint statement, three major regional election missions, the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) and the West African Elders Forum, have condemned the military coup in Guinea-Bissau and demanded the immediate release of all detained electoral officials. The missions, led by former Mozambican President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, former Ghanaian High Commissioner Issifu Baba Braimah Kamara, and former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, issued the statement on November 26, 2025, following what had been widely praised as an orderly and peaceful voting process.
According to the joint declaration, the presidential and legislative elections held on November 23 proceeded with notable calm, professionalism, and civic responsibility. Election observers applauded the people of Guinea-Bissau for their strong turnout and peaceful participation, crediting polling staff, party agents, and security personnel for their diligence throughout the electoral exercise.
The observers revealed that they had only just concluded meetings with the two leading presidential candidates, who had individually pledged to respect the results and accept the will of the people, when the armed forces abruptly announced a coup d’état. The missions described the development as shocking, deeply concerning, and a deliberate attempt to derail the nation’s democratic progress at the moment the country was awaiting official results.
In their statement, the three missions deplored what they called a “blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains that have been achieved thus far.” They urged the African Union and ECOWAS to take the necessary diplomatic and political steps required to ensure the swift restoration of constitutional order in the country.
The regional bodies expressed heightened concern over the arrest of high-ranking officials, including those responsible for managing the electoral process. They emphasized that such detentions were unacceptable and directly undermined the integrity of the elections. As part of their demands, they called on the armed forces to immediately release all detained officials to enable the completion of the electoral process without further interference.
The joint mission also appealed to the population of Guinea-Bissau to remain calm during what they described as a “sensitive and precarious period.” They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the country’s path toward democracy and stressed the urgent need to safeguard peace, stability, and the overall well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people.
Signed by three prominent regional statesmen, Nyusi for the African Union, Kamara for ECOWAS and Jonathan for the West African Elders Forum, the statement underscores the gravity of the crisis and the unified stance of West African and continental institutions against unconstitutional changes of government.
As tension continues to mount in Bissau, the international community is expected to rally behind the AU, ECOWAS, and the Elders Forum in demanding accountability from the military and ensuring that the democratic process resumes without further obstruction. The situation remains fluid, and regional actors have vowed to closely monitor developments until constitutional order is fully restored.
