The African Union has suspended Guinea-Bissau from all its activities following a military coup that ousted the government in the West African nation after contested elections.
In a resolution adopted Friday by the African Union Peace and Security Council, the group reiterated its policy of “zero tolerance on unconstitutional changes of government” and declared the immediate suspension of Guinea-Bissau from participating in all activities of the Union until constitutional order is restored.
The suspension follows a military takeover on Wednesday, which occurred days after Guinea-Bissau held presidential and legislative elections on Sunday. Both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias claimed to have won the vote. The political uncertainty escalated into a coup, after which the military installed former army chief of staff Gen. Horta Inta-a as the head of a transitional government. A declaration broadcast on state television announced that the military government would oversee a one-year transition period.
Guinea-Bissau, a country of approximately 2.2 million people, has experienced chronic political instability since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. The nation has been plagued by numerous coups and attempted coups, including one as recently as October. It is also known as a transshipment point for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe, a factor experts say exacerbates political corruption and instability.
In a similar move, the West African regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies on Thursday until constitutional governance is restored.
Embaló reportedly left the capital on Thursday and traveled to neighboring Senegal aboard a flight chartered by the Senegalese government.
“The organization reiterated it has ‘zero tolerance on unconstitutional changes of government’ and moved to ‘immediately suspend the Republic of Guinea-Bissau from participating in all activities of the Union, its organs and institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country,’” according to a resolution cited by the Associated Press (https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/african-union-suspends-guinea-bissau-112304840.html).
