ECOWAS, AU suspends Guinea-Bissau over military coup

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) have officially suspended Guinea-Bissau from all decision-making bodies following a military coup that halted the electoral process of the country.
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The decision was reached during an emergency meeting of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) late Thursday and was followed by a similar announcement from the AU on Friday. Both organizations demanded the immediate restoration of constitutional order and the release of detained officials, including President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
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The suspension isolates Guinea-Bissau diplomatically as regional leaders scramble to reverse the military takeover. The coup, led by a group calling itself the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order,” occurred on Wednesday, just as the country was awaiting the results of the presidential election.
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To resolve the crisis, ECOWAS has dispatched a high-power mediation team including the Presidents of Togo, Cabo Verde, and Senegal.
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The MSC rejects any arrangements that subvert the democratic process and demand that the military allow the National Electoral Commission to resume its work and declare the results of the election.
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The MSC explicitly demanded that the junta guarantee the safe passage of international monitors who have been caught in the crossfire of the political upheaval.
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