The Heads of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM), and the West African Elders Forum have jointly condemned what they describe as a “blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process” in Guinea-Bissau following reports of a coup d’état by the country’s armed forces.
In a joint statement issued in Bissau, the three missions expressed deep concern over the military’s announcement, which came as the nation awaited official results from the presidential and legislative elections held on November 23, 2025.
The statement, signed by H.E. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, Head of the African Union Mission and former President of Mozambique; H.E. Issifu Baba Braimah Kamara, Head of the ECOWAS Mission; and H.E. Goodluck Jonathan, Head of the West African Elders Forum and former President of Nigeria, described the coup announcement as regrettable, especially as it came shortly after both leading presidential candidates had expressed their readiness to accept the will of the people.
“We deplore this blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains that have been achieved thus far,” the statement read. “We request the African Union and ECOWAS to take the necessary steps to restore constitutional order.”
The missions also voiced concern over reports of arrests of top officials involved in the electoral process. They called on the armed forces to immediately release all detained officials to enable the completion of the vote counting and results announcement.
The observer groups commended the people of Guinea-Bissau for their peaceful participation in the elections and praised polling officials, security personnel, and party agents for their professionalism throughout the process.
The statement urged citizens to remain calm and safeguard national peace and stability while regional institutions work to restore normalcy.
“We reaffirm our commitment to supporting Guinea-Bissau on its democratic path and underscore the importance of preserving peace, stability, and the well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people during this sensitive period,” the missions added.
