The African Union (AU) and the West African Elders Forum have commended the people of Guinea-Bissau for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the country’s presidential and legislative elections held on 23 November 2025. In a joint statement, the missions highlighted voters’ strong civic engagement and praised polling officials, security personnel, and party agents for their professionalism throughout election day.
However, the observers voiced deep concern over developments that followed the close of voting. According to the statement, the announcement of election results came abruptly—just after the missions had concluded separate meetings with the two leading presidential candidates, both of whom had reaffirmed their commitment to accept the will of the people.
The observers described the timing as “a blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains that have been achieved thus far,” warning that such actions risk destabilizing the country at a critical moment.
The AU and West African Elders Forum called on both ECOWAS and the African Union to “take the necessary steps to restore constitutional order” in Guinea-Bissau. They also expressed alarm over reports that several senior officials, including individuals responsible for overseeing the election process, were arrested shortly after the polls.
Urging the armed forces to immediately release the detained officials, the missions stressed that their freedom is essential for the electoral process to move forward and reach its lawful conclusion.
As Guinea-Bissau awaits clarity on the official results, regional bodies are intensifying diplomatic efforts to prevent a potential political crisis and safeguard the integrity of the country’s democratic institutions.
