Guinea-Bissau: ECOWAS silent on Umaro Sissoco Embaló’s constitutional coup

Observers note that Africans are still awaiting a response from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regarding the constitutional coup carried out by President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. His five-year mandate, which ended on February 27, was unlawfully extended, further deepening the political crisis that has plagued Guinea-Bissau in recent years.

This crisis stems largely from poor governance under Embaló since his rise to power in 2020. He has been widely criticized for violating constitutional provisions, notably by dissolving the National Assembly twice and extending his mandate beyond its legal term.

Additionally, his administration has been accused of suppressing citizens who oppose his leadership and question his management of public affairs.

It is also worth noting that Umaro Sissoco Embaló, a former ECOWAS president now labeled as a putschist, was previously at the forefront of imposing sanctions against Guinea following the September 2021 military coup.

He also supported military intervention in Niger and endorsed the harsh sanctions imposed on Mali and Burkina Faso.

Ironically, the same leader who once advocated for the creation of an « anti-coup force » within ECOWAS—intended to intervene and restore constitutional order in the event of a coup—now finds himself in a situation that would, by his own logic, warrant such intervention.

With ECOWAS diplomats expelled from Guinea-Bissau on March 1, analysts argue that the regional bloc should take decisive action to restore constitutional order and bring an end to the prolonged political crisis in the country.

Neil Camara