A high-level delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) touched down in Guinea-Bissau on Monday, 1 December 2025, initiating critical mediation talks with the country's new military rulers. The mission's urgent goal is to secure a path for the "complete restoration of constitutional order" following last week's coup d'état.
Military Government Consolidates Power Amid Crackdown
The arrival of the ECOWAS team, led by its chairman and Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, coincided with a significant crackdown by the junta. The military government, which seized control on Wednesday, 27 November, issued a late Sunday decree banning all demonstrations, strikes, and any activities it deems a threat to peace and stability. In a parallel move, it ordered the reopening of public institutions and ministries.
The coup unfolded just three days after a tightly contested presidential election on 23 November, where the two main candidates both claimed victory. During the takeover, the ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló informed French media by telephone that he had been deposed and arrested. He has since fled to Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo.
International Condemnation and Calls for Restoration
The regional response was swift. ECOWAS suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies the day after the coup, a suspension that will remain until constitutional order is fully restored. The bloc stated its mediation team would travel to Bissau to engage directly with the coup leaders.
This position was echoed internationally. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern and condemned the takeover. In a strong statement, Guterres stressed that disregarding "the will of the people who peacefully cast their vote" was an unacceptable violation of democratic principles. He called for the immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order and the release of all detained officials, including electoral authorities and opposition figures.
A Nation's Troubled History and the Path Ahead
The military has installed former army chief of staff General Horta Inta-a as head of a transitional government, which is slated to oversee a one-year transition. On Saturday, Inta-a appointed a new 28-member government, interestingly composed largely of allies of the ousted president.
This latest upheaval adds to Guinea-Bissau's long history of political instability. Since gaining independence from Portugal over five decades ago, the nation of 2.2 million people has experienced multiple coups and attempted coups, including one as recently as October. Furthermore, its reputation as a major hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe is cited by experts as a factor that exacerbates its chronic political crises.
The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc, formed in 1975 to promote economic integration, is widely regarded as West Africa's leading political authority. However, it has faced significant challenges in recent years in reversing a wave of military takeovers across the region, where populations often feel they have not benefited from their countries' rich natural resources.
