Coup: ECOWAS Suspends Guinea-Bissau

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Authority of Heads of State and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Guinea Bissau from all decision-making bodies of the regional bloc following the military take-over of government.

The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, under the chairmanship of President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, the Mediation and Security Council (MSC), met virtually on Thursday at the level of Heads of State and Government following the military coup on Wednesday and suspended Guinea-Bissau after reviewing the situation.

The West African leaders acted in accordance with the provisions of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, warning the coup leaders to restore the democratic order and return to their barracks.

A communique issued after the meeting, read: “The MSC decides, in accordance with the provision of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance 2001(A/SP/12/01), to suspend Guinea-Bissau from all ECOWAS Decision-making bodies until the restoration of full and effective constitutional order in the country.”

The MSC also said it holds the coup leaders in the country individually and collectively responsible for the protection of the life and property of all citizens and residents of Guinea-Bissau and for the security and safety of all detainees.

It called on the leaders of the coup to guarantee the safety and facilitate the evacuation and safe passage of ECOWAS and all other international election observers.

It also advised the army to return to their barracks and maintain peace and their constitutional role, even as it ordered the ECOWAS Stabilisation and Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB) to continue helping protect the institutions of Guinea-Bissau.

The MSC decided to continue to monitor the situation in Guinea Bissau and reserves the right to use all options provided for by the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the 2012 Supplementary Act on Sanctions, including sanctions on all entities deemed culpable of disrupting the electoral and democratic process in Guinea Bissau,’’ it said.

The MSC then mandated the chair of the Authority to lead a high-level mediation mission to Guinea-Bissau to engage with the leaders of the coup, to ensure the complete restoration of constitutional order.

The appointed members of the mission includes Faure Gnassingbe, President of Togo; Jose Maria Pereira Neves, President of Cabo Verde; and Bassirou Diomaye, President of Senegal, and will be accompanied by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray.

The coup leaders on Thursday swore in an army general as Guinea-Bissau’s new head of state to serve as transitional president for a period of one year.

Gen. Horta N’Tam took the oath on Thursday in brief and quiet proceedings at the army headquarters, a day after the army coup that toppled President Umaro Embalo and the country’s democratic structures.