African Union suspends Guinea-Bissau following military coup

The African Union has suspended Guinea-Bissau following a military coup, reaffirming its strict stance against unconstitutional changes of government.

In a resolution passed on November 28 by the AU Peace and Security Council, the organisation emphasised that it maintains “zero tolerance on unconstitutional changes of government” and ordered the “immediate suspension of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau from participating in all activities of the Union, its organs and institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country.”

Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest nations, has a long history of political instability, marked by coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal over 50 years ago, including a failed coup in October.

The country, home to around 2.2 million people, has also been identified as a major transit hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe, a factor experts say has exacerbated its recurring political crises.

The West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, followed suit on Thursday, suspending Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies until constitutional governance is reinstated.

The military takeover occurred on Wednesday, just days after the country held presidential and legislative elections on Sunday. Both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias claimed victory.

Following the coup, Embaló left the country and arrived in neighbouring Senegal on Thursday aboard a flight arranged by the Senegalese government.

In Guinea-Bissau, the military high command installed former army chief of staff Gen. Horta Inta-a as the head of the new military government. According to a declaration broadcast on state television, this government will oversee a transitional period of one year.

By Tamilla Hasanova