ECOWAS withdrew from Guinea-Bissau after President Embalo threatened expulsion. The bloc sought election consensus, but tensions over Embalo’s mandate persist. The opposition rejects election delays, while Embalo recently met Putin in Moscow.

A mission from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, has left Guinea-Bissau after stating that President Umaro Sissoco Embalo had threatened to expel it from the country.

The ECOWAS team was dispatched last month with the goal of facilitating a “political consensus” on how the country should conduct its elections this year.

In a statement, the mission said it had "prepared a draft agreement on a roadmap for elections” and had begun presenting it to stakeholders to seek their consent. However, before the discussions could be completed, the team decided to leave the country early on Saturday morning due to Embalo’s threat.

The delegation announced that it would now submit its report to the ECOWAS president. This report will include a proposal aimed at ensuring "inclusive and peaceful elections" in Guinea-Bissau.

So far, President Embalo has not publicly responded to the regional bloc’s accusations.

Political tensions in Guinea-Bissau have been on the rise, particularly regarding the timing of the president’s five-year mandate. The opposition claims that his term expired last week, but the Supreme Court of Justice has ruled that his mandate officially ends on September 4.

The country was originally scheduled to hold general elections in November 2023, but President Embalo postponed them. He later announced that the elections would now take place on November 30, 2024. This delay has been strongly opposed by the opposition.

Guinea-Bissau has a long history of political instability, having experienced multiple military coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. President Embalo himself has faced two attempted coups, the most recent of which occurred in December 2023. Following this, he dissolved the opposition-controlled parliament, further deepening political tensions.

On Thursday, the opposition called for a nationwide strike to protest against the president, coinciding with what they claim was the official expiration date of his mandate. In response, the government deployed security forces across the capital to prevent potential unrest.

Amid the growing political crisis, President Embalo traveled to Moscow one day before the strike. While in Russia, he held talks with President Vladimir Putin, reportedly discussing ways to enhance cooperation between their two countries.