The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently detailed its discourse with one of its member states, Guinea-Bissau, via a press-release.
- ECOWAS had a dispute with Guinea-Bissau over the conduct of the upcoming elections.
- The delegation was threatened with expulsion by Guinea-Bissau’s president, Umaro Sissoco Embalo.
- The mission departed on 1st March but intends to report back to the ECOWAS Commission President with findings and recommendations.
In a press release, the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, disclosed that its delegation in Guinea-Bissau left the country on the 1st of March, after the country’s president, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, issued a warning to expel the mission.
The regional bloc alongside the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), sent the mission a few weeks back to”reach political consensus” on how to conduct this year’s election.
This was made known via the group’s X account.
As detailed in the press release, the mission had extensive conversations with an array of stakeholders during their visit, including foreign partners, civil society organizations, election management organizations, political leaders, and government representatives.
The mission lauded the parties’ devotion to political discourse and attempts to reach a wide agreement, but the conversations centered on the difficulties and worries associated with the electoral process.
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However, as mentioned earlier, this would end in a debacle between the delegation and the country’s president, as he threatened to expel the mission.
“The Mission departed Bissau in the early morning of 1st March, following threats by H.E. Umaro Sissoco Embalo to expel it,” the press release read.
Following the threat, the team departed Bissau, but it intends to report back to the ECOWAS Commission President with its findings and recommendations for ensuring the elections are held peacefully and inclusively.
Guinea-Bissau’s president had, on the 4th of November, 2024, rescheduled the country’s presidential elections, which were set to be held later that month.
A new date for the election is yet to be determined.
This did not bode well for the opposition, as they called the move unconstitutional.
