A delegation from the West African Regional Union, ECOWAS, has left Guinea-Bissau after the president threatened to dismiss it.
The delegation was sent to Guinea-Bissau last month to assist in reaching a “political consensus” on how to hold elections this year. It stated that it had “prepared a draft agreement on a roadmap for elections” and had begun presenting it to stakeholders for their approval.
ECOWAS, however, chose to leave early on Saturday morning in response to President Umaro Sissoco Embalo’s warning.
It said it will now give its report to the ECOWAS president, which would include a proposal for an accord that will lead to “inclusive and peaceful elections”.
Embalo has not responded to the bloc’s accusation.
There has been heightened tension in Guinea-Bissau over when his five-year mandate ends.
The opposition says his term as president expired last week, but the Supreme Court of Justice ruled that it ends on 4 September.
A new round of general elections was due to take place last November, but Embalo postponed them and has since announced they will take place on the 30 November this year.
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The opposition has opposed the delay.
Guinea-Bissau has experienced several military coups since its independence in 1974, and there have been two attempts to overthrow Embalo, the latest in December 2023.
This led him to dissolve the opposition-dominated parliament.
The opposition last Thursday called for a nationwide strike, on the day they said the president’s term was expiring, with the government deploying security forces across the capital.
Embalo travelled to Moscow the day before where he held talks with Russia President Vladimir Putin, reportedly discussing developing cooperation between the two countries.
