ECOWAS ends talks in Guinea-Bissau without breakthrough

A high-level ECOWAS delegation has ended its latest mediation mission to Guinea-Bissau without reaching any major agreement with the country’s military leaders. The team, led by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, travelled to Bissau to push for a quick return to civilian rule after last Wednesday’s military coup.

The coup leaders have banned protests and strikes, claiming they acted to restore security and stability. After Monday’s talks, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba said discussions were “fruitful,” but stressed that ECOWAS still strongly condemns the coup. He repeated the bloc’s demand for the “immediate restoration of constitutional order,” including completing the country’s electoral process.

ECOWAS wants President Umaro Sissoco Embaló reinstated. Embaló fled to Brazzaville after being briefly detained during the takeover. In his absence, the military installed former army chief General Horta Inta-a as the head of a transitional government. The junta has already appointed a new cabinet mainly made up of people loyal to the ousted president.

Despite the lack of progress, junta-appointed Foreign Minister João Bernardo Vieira said Guinea-Bissau remains open to dialogue. He noted that ECOWAS will continue to engage with the transitional government. According to him, the length of the transition, initially suggested to last one year will be discussed at the ECOWAS Heads of State Summit on December 14. Decisions made at that meeting will determine the next steps.

ECOWAS reacted quickly after the coup, suspending Guinea-Bissau from all its decision-making bodies until civilian rule is restored. The United Nations has also condemned the military takeover. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for the unconditional release of all detained political figures and reminded the military that the will of the people, expressed in the November 23 election, must be respected. The coup happened while the country was still awaiting the official election results.

Guinea-Bissau has a long history of political instability, having experienced several coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. The latest crisis has raised fresh concerns about democratic backsliding in the region, which has already seen military takeovers in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Although Monday’s mission ended without a breakthrough, ECOWAS says it will continue negotiations later this month in hopes of getting Guinea-Bissau back on a democratic path.