The President of Sierra Leone, and Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Julius Mada Bio, has confirmed talks with Guinea-Bissau’s military leaders, as the region ramps up pressure to restore constitutional governance in the troubled nation.
Bio revealed the engagement on Monday night on his official 𝕏 account after an extraordinary session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council issued resolutions following reports of a coup last week.
“Pursuant to the communiqué of the Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council, I engaged in a constructive discussion with the military leadership of Guinea Bissau,” he wrote.
Bio said ECOWAS would not shift from its position on democratic governance, adding that he delivered a firm, unambiguous message to the junta.
“As Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, I reaffirmed ECOWAS’s unwavering commitment to restore constitutional order,” he said.
Guinea-Bissau’s latest political rupture followed the 23 November 2025 presidential and legislative elections, in which the then-incumbent President Umaro Embaló and opposition figure Fernando Dias da Costa both declared themselves winners, fueling distrust and public volatility.
By November 26, security fears escalated as soldiers moved on key government installations, announcing they had taken “total control”, halting the electoral process, sealing all land, air, and sea access, and enforcing a sudden curfew.
On November 27, the military leadership, operating under the High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order, appointed Horta Inta-A Na Man as the country’s transitional president for one year.
Shortly after assuming power, the junta reversed its decision to seal the country, reopening borders.
Guinea-Bissau, which gained independence in 1974, has a long record of military interruptions, chronic election disputes, and recurring coups that repeatedly dislodge constitutional governments and weaken public confidence.
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