Dakar, Senegal – A mission by a regional bloc of West Africa sent to Guinea-Bissau to resolve election disputes in accordance with the threats of President Umaro Siso Embaro, according to a statement.
The conflict on the end of Embaro's term in office intensified tensions and caused fears of anxiety in the small West African nation of Guinea-Bissau, which has endured multiple coups since becoming independent from Portugal more than 50 years ago.
Opposition parties argue that Embaro's term, which began in 2020, should have ended last week, but the Supreme Court ruled that it would end on September 4th. Embaro announced that the next presidential and parliamentary elections will take place on November 30th.
Brock, known as Ecowas, said the mission had left early Saturday. It was deployed between February 21st and the Sahel in West Africa, along with the United Nations office in West Africa, and brokered a consensus on when a presidential election would be held.
ECOWAS is a top political and economic authority in West Africa, and in many cases works with states to solve a variety of domestic challenges. However, in recent years, they have struggled with conflicts with citizens who have reversed the local coup and complained that they have not benefited from their country's natural resources.
Embaro says he survived two attempts to overthrow him. The latest in December 2023 included a shootout between the National Guard and the Presidential Guard, before disbanding opposition-controlled parliament and denounced passivity.
Last week, Embaro met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss potential economic and security ties as Russia emerged as a safe partner of choice to expel traditional allies such as France and the United States.
