The African Union (AU) has announced the suspension of Guinea-Bissau following this week’s coup in the west African country.
Sources understands that this was disclosed to AFP on Friday by the AU Commission head.
The AU decided “to suspend Guinea-Bissau from its bodies with immediate effect”, chairman Mahamoud Ali Youssouf said.
The election observation missions to Guinea-Bissau set up by the African Union and Economic Community of West African States, and the West African Elders Forum, condemned the halt of the announcement of presidential and legislative elections and subsequent military takeover in the West African country, The PUNCH reports.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the election missions deplored what they described as “a blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process” in Guinea-Bissau.
Recall that West African leaders gathered in an emergency virtual session on Thursday night to strongly condemn the military coup in Guinea-Bissau and demand the immediate restoration of constitutional rule, describing the developments as a serious threat to the country’s fragile democracy.
The extraordinary meeting, chaired by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, was convened at the level of Heads of State and Government within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Mediation and Security Council (MSC), to assess the growing crisis following the November 26 military takeover.
In the aftermath of the coup, ECOWAS leaders unanimously decided to suspend Guinea-Bissau from all decision-making bodies within the regional bloc until a complete and adequate constitutional order is reinstated.
The MSC reviewed a report presented by ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray, which outlined the deteriorating situation following the coup. Leaders expressed alarm over disruptions to the electoral process, praising citizens for their “resilience and commitment to democracy” during the November 23 polls.
The communiqué issued after the session condemned “in the strongest terms the coup d’état perpetrated on 26 November 2025” and called for the “unconditional restoration of constitutional order without delay.”
The leaders made it clear that ECOWAS “rejects any arrangements that perpetuate the illegal abortion of the democratic process and the subversion of the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau.”
The statement was signed by Head of the African Union Election Observation Mission, Filipe Nyusi; Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, Issifu Kamara; and Head of the West African Elders Forum, Goodluck Jonathan.
The missions called on the AU and ECOWAS to take necessary steps to restore constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.
They also announced the suspension of Guinea-Bissau from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies until a full and effective constitutional order is restored.
