A coup d’état announced by Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces after presidential and legislative elections held on November 23, 2025, has sparked immediate condemnation from international bodies and member states. The African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) and the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) along with the West African Elders Forum released a joint statement expressing profound concern over the military takeover and its threat to democratic stability.

These observation missions commended the people of Guinea-Bissau for peaceful participation in the elections and praised the professionalism of polling staff, security personnel, and party agents. However, the statement highlighted that the coup announcement occurred prematurely, while the nation awaited official results. This disruption came after meetings with the two leading presidential candidates, both committed to accepting the electoral outcome, emphasizing the severity of the democratic setback.

The joint statement condemned the blatant attempt to undermine the electoral process and warned of the risks to Guinea-Bissau’s democratic gains. Alarm was raised over the arrests of top officials, including electoral authorities. The military was urged to release these individuals immediately, allowing the electoral process to continue unhindered. Both the African Union and ECOWAS were called upon to take urgent action to restore constitutional governance, while citizens were appealed to remain calm and uphold civic order.

Further intensifying international pressure, Ghana publicly denounced the military coup, labeling it an affront to democratic principles and warning of potential regional instability if constitutional order is not promptly restored. The statement reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to supporting Guinea-Bissau in safeguarding democracy and ensuring free and fair elections.