A high-level delegation from the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS ended a mediation mission to Guinea-Bissau on Monday with no breakthrough, but pledged to continue talks with coup leaders later this month.
Led by Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, the regional bloc travelled to Bissau seeking a return the country to civilian rule following a military coup on November 27.
The junta, which has banned protests and strikes, argued it acted to restore security and stability in the small West African nation. “We’ve had very fruitful discussions today,” said Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Timothy Musa Kabba, speaking on behalf of Bio.
“The chair of the authority condemned the coup, and called for the immediate restoration of constitutional order, which includes allowing the electoral process to a logical conclusion.”
ECOWAS has condemned the coup and called for the reinstatement of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who fled to Brazzaville after being detained.
In his absence, the military installed former army chief Gen. Horta Inta-a as head of a transitional government that has already appointed a new cabinet, largely composed of allies of the ousted president.
Foreign Minister, João Bernardo Vieira, appointed by the junta, said ECOWAS would remain engaged.
"The solution (to returning to constitutional order) is to continue collaborating with ECOWAS," Vieira said on Monday.
"A one-year deadline had been set for the end of the transition, but the issue will be submitted to the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government on December 14. Depending on this decision or the one that follows from it, we will know what the next steps will be.”
ECOWAS suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies the day after the coup, pending a return to civilian rule.
