A high-level political mission from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) concluded its visit to Guinea-Bissau on Saturday, urging all citizens and stakeholders to maintain peace and calm in the country.
The mission, which lasted a week, aimed to support efforts by political actors and other stakeholders in establishing a consensus on a roadmap for conducting inclusive and peaceful elections in 2025. The statement was issued by Ambassador Bagudu Hirse, Head of the Mission, on Sunday.
The mission arrived in Guinea-Bissau on February 21 and concluded its visit on February 28. It was deployed under the directives of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to help the country’s political stakeholders reach an agreement on a roadmap for the 2025 legislative and presidential elections.
During their visit, the delegation met with Guinea-Bissau’s President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and held extensive discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, political leaders, election management bodies, civil society groups, and international partners. The talks were focused on the electoral process, and the mission commended the stakeholders for their commitment to political dialogue and their efforts to build a broad consensus.
A draft agreement for the roadmap, which outlined the process for the 2025 elections, was prepared and presented to the stakeholders for their approval.
However, the mission’s visit ended unexpectedly on March 1 after President Embaló threatened to expel the team. Following this threat, the ECOWAS-UNOWAS mission left Guinea-Bissau but plans to submit a report to the President of the ECOWAS Commission detailing its findings and proposals for ensuring the elections are conducted in a peaceful and inclusive manner.
