Leaders from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS met on Saturday with Guinea‑Bissau’s military junta to discuss the release of political detainees and the country’s return to constitutional governance, according to sources.
The delegation, which included Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio — the current ECOWAS chairman — and Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, engaged with officials from the ruling junta in Bissau. Their mission focused on accelerating progress toward restoring democratic order, a source close to Guinea‑Bissau’s foreign ministry told AFP.
ECOWAS representatives also met with two opposition figures: one who remains in detention following the coup and another who sought refuge in a foreign embassy.
The discussions centred on calls for the release of those held since the military takeover. The coup occurred just days after the November presidential election, with soldiers ousting President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and halting the electoral process.
Bio, Faye, and their teams visited detained opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira and opposition candidate Fernando Dias, who has been granted asylum at Nigeria’s embassy.
ECOWAS has urged the unconditional release of all political prisoners, emphasising that their detention undermines trust and complicates efforts to resolve the crisis. However, Guinea‑Bissau’s authorities have favoured a phased release without agreeing to a specific timeline.
Another key topic was the length of the transition period. The junta initially set a one‑year transition to civilian rule following the coup, but has since suggested that a longer “security period” may be needed before elections can be held.
ECOWAS mediators have been pushing for a shorter, transparent transition with a clear electoral timetable to restore constitutional order. Talks also touched on the possibility of deploying an ECOWAS standby force if the situation deteriorates — an option that local authorities view with suspicion as potentially infringing on national sovereignty.