Youssouf stressed that Guinea-Bissau’s National Electoral Commission (CNE) remains the only legally empowered body to declare official results and warned against any actions that could further destabilise the country.
The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has strongly condemned the military coup d’état in Guinea-Bissau, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and other detained officials.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Youssouf described the 26 November 2025 takeover, during which soldiers arrested the president, senior government figures and political leaders, as a grave violation of constitutional order at a moment when the nation was awaiting the announcement of its electoral results.
"The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, unequivocally condemns the military coup d’État that took place in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau on 26 November 2025, resulting in the arrest of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, senior officials, and political leaders, at a moment when the nation was on the verge of the announcement of its electoral results,” the statement read.
Youssouf reaffirmed the AU’s zero-tolerance stance on unconstitutional changes of government, citing the Union’s foundational frameworks, including the Constitutive Act of the African Union (2000), the Lomé Declaration (2000), the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007) and the Ezulwini Framework (2009).
The Commission boss also referenced the Joint Statement on the Post-Election Situation issued the same day by the Heads of the AU Election Observation Mission, the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission and the West African Elders Forum, noting that the legitimacy of the ongoing electoral process must be protected.
Youssouf stressed that Guinea-Bissau’s National Electoral Commission (CNE) remains the only legally empowered body to declare official results and warned against any actions that could further destabilise the country.
"He calls for the immediate and unconditional release of President Embaló and all detained officials, and urges all parties to exercise the utmost restraint in order to prevent any further deterioration of the situation,” the statement added.
Youssouf further pledged the AU’s readiness to work closely with ECOWAS and other international partners to help restore constitutional order, safeguard democratic institutions and support dialogue rooted in legal frameworks.
He reiterates the African Union’s steadfast support and solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau during this critical period.
Guinea-Bissau has long struggled with chronic political instability, marked by repeated coups, military interference in governance and contested elections since its independence from Portugal in 1974.
The country has witnessed more than nine coup attempts, several successful, with the military often playing a decisive role in political transitions.
President Embaló himself survived a major coup attempt in February 2022, which he described as one of the bloodiest in the nation’s recent history.
Recent elections were closely watched by regional and international observers amid concerns over tensions between political factions and the military’s lingering influence.
The 2025 vote was considered a critical test for the country’s fragile democratic institutions. And on Wednesday, the military took over power in the country and arrested President Embaló.
ECOWAS, which has previously deployed stabilisation forces in Guinea-Bissau, is expected to play a significant role in diplomatic efforts to restore order following the latest military takeover.