A West African regional bloc, Ecowas, has withdrawn its team from Guinea-Bissau after President Umaro Sissoco Embalo threatened to expel them. The mission was deployed in February to help resolve an election dispute and facilitate a “political consensus” on when the general elections should be held.
The opposition has opposed the delay of last November’s scheduled elections, citing that Embalo’s term should have expired last week. However, a Supreme Court ruling recently extended his term until September. Ecowas had prepared a draft agreement on a roadmap for elections in 2025 and presented it to stakeholders but departed the country after receiving threats from Embala.
The region will now present its report, including a proposal for an inclusive and peaceful election agreement, to the Ecowas president. Guinea-Bissau has experienced several military coups since independence in 1974, with two attempts made to overthrow Embalo recently. The opposition has called for a nationwide strike on Thursday as their term expires, while security forces were deployed across the capital.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7781k8kdeko