ECOWAS mission leaves Guinea-Bissau after president Embalo’s threat of expulsion

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) have ended their mission to Guinea-Bissau after the country’s president threatened to expel the delegation.
The mission, which arrived in the country on 21 February, aimed to help political stakeholders reach an agreement on a roadmap for the upcoming 2025 presidential and legislative elections. During its visit, the mission held discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, opposition leaders, civil society groups, and international partners. The goal was to ensure the elections are held peacefully and inclusively. A draft agreement was presented to the stakeholders, but tensions escalated when president Umaro Sissoco Embalo objected to the proposed election timeline, leading to the threat of expulsion.
The dispute stems from disagreements over the duration of Embalo’s presidential term, with opposition groups arguing it should have ended by February 2024, while the Supreme Court of Justice has ruled that it ends on 4 September. However, the tiny West African nation’s president had, in early November last year, rescheduled the country’s presidential elections, which were set to be held later that month. The opposition has called the delay unconstitutional. In the wake of the threat, the ECOWAS-UNOWAS mission left Guinea-Bissau on 1 March. Despite the abrupt end to their visit, the delegation plans to report back to the ECOWAS Commission president with its findings and recommendations for ensuring a smooth electoral process in the country.