WACSOF CALLS FOR THE RESPECT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER IN GUINEA BISSAU AND ENCOURAGES ECOWAS FOR MORE DYNAMISM IN THE RESOLUTION OF THE CRISIS

MARCH 17^TH 2025: The West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) is closely following the evolution of the political situation in Guinea Bissau. WACSOF expresses Deep Concern Over the escalating political crisis in Guinea-Bissau with the recent events.

1. As a reminder:
2. The article 66 of the constitution of Guinea Bissau (1996) says that: “The term of office of the President of the Republic lasts five years.’’ ‘’The President of the Republic may not run for a third consecutive term, nor during the five years following the end of the second term.’’
3. The current president, His excellency Mr Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who took office in February 2020, has elapsed his term on 27 February 2025 and the lack of organized elections to replace him has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension in the country.
4. The current president was among the forefront ECOWAS heads of states that heavily blamed the military coup in Niger in July 2023
5. WACSOF is alarmed by different facts during the term of the current president:
6. On February 7, 2022, a Barbaric attack and destruction of Radio Capital FM, with seven journalists injured, perpetrated by soldiers allegedly from the presidential guard of the current president
7. On December 4, 2023, an unconstitutional dissolution of the parliament, four months after the members (MP) took office. More than a year after the dissolution of the parliament, no legislative elections has been organised
8. On November 3, 2023, an Institutional coup d’état consummated with the use of armed militias that stormed the premises of the Supreme Court of Justice, forcing the coercive resignation of the elected president of this highest judicial body.
9. On September 22, 2024, an institutional coup d’état against the elected president of Parliament, by means of an armed assault on the premises of Parliament. From that date, a second vice president of Parliament was illegally installed as the new president of this sovereign body.
10. Since 15 January 2024, A total ban on freedom of demonstration and assembly in Guinea-Bissau, on the orders of the current president
11. On 18 May 2024, the arbitrary arrest of 93 members of the Popular Front, following a peaceful demonstration organised by this civic movement. All detainees were subjected to brutal torture sessions at the Ministry of the Interior. To date, the moral and material perpetrators of these criminal acts have not been held accountable for their actions.
12. WACSOF welcomes the recent joint mission of ECOWAS and UNOWAS in Guinea Bissau in February 2025 to find peaceful solution, but regrets the late character of this mission knowing that the mandate of the sitting president was ending on 27 February 2025
13. WACSOF reaffirms its concerns regarding the unresolved problems facing the region: the repetition of constitutional, electoral and military coups, a situation symptomatic of a deep malaise, resulting from a crisis of bad governance, endemic corruption, restriction of civic and political spaces, an instrumentalization of the justice in States to block political adversaries, or to imprison journalists and citizens with opinions different from those in power, with political prisoners and exiles
14. In view of the above, WACSOF calls
15. For the immediate respect for constitutional order in GUINEA BISSAU
16. The authorities to promote an inclusive political dialogue and a road map to credible elections
17. The authorities to foster the independence of the judiciary branch by demanding election of a new President of the Supreme Court of Justice as a precondition to ensure political stability, multiparty, fair and credible election.
18. The authorities to open the civic space and the political space
19. ECOWAS for more dynamism in the resolution of the crisis and the head of states of ECOWAS to show clear examples of good governance for the sake of the declining credibility of the ECOWAS

WACSOF remains seized of the situation and invites all civil society organizations to actively contribute to peaceful dialogue.

Contacts: Media@Wacsof-Foscao.Org

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With more than 1000 Member Organizations, the WEST AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM (WACSOF) is the umbrella network of the Civil Society in West Africa, covering 18 thematic areas, with representation in 15 countries of West Africa (ECOWAS & AES). WACSOF is the channel for institutionalized dialogue between civil society organizations and ECOWAS. WACSOF builds capacity, advocates, mobilizes civil society, engages in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies for a prosperous, stable and peaceful Africa. WACSOF is an excellent channel, a one-stop-shop for systematic engagement between institutions and civil society organizations, for impactful results. www.Wacsof-Foscao.Org