The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has condemned the recent military coup in Guinea-Bissau, describing it as an unacceptable attack on democracy and a threat to both regional and global stability.
The Parliament’s Speaker, Memounatou Ibrahima, made the statement during the 2025 Second Ordinary Session in Abuja on Tuesday.
The session, marking ECOWAS Parliament’s 25th anniversary, convened amid growing concern over democratic backsliding across West Africa.
The two-week session will address several key issues, including the 2026 Community Budget, legislative reforms, gender parity and women’s participation in politics, country reports, and strategic engagements with international partners.
A special session on Wednesday has been dedicated to discussions on the Guinea-Bissau coup.
In her keynote address, read by Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President and First Deputy Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Jibrin Barau, Ibrahima.
He emphasised that the military takeover violated ECOWAS’ zero-tolerance policy against unconstitutional changes of government.
She noted that the coup occurred despite a peaceful electoral process and called for the immediate restoration of democratic order in Guinea-Bissau.
“The military action constitutes a domestic constitutional breach and poses a destabilizing ripple effect in a region already challenged by insecurity, economic strain, and fragile political transitions,” the speaker stated.
Ibrahima announced that a high-level session would convene on Wednesday to allow regional parliamentarians to thoroughly deliberate on the situation in Guinea-Bissau and formulate a way forward.
She affirmed ECOWAS’ solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau, whose democratic mandate has been interrupted.
“The coup underscores the renewed urgency for ECOWAS to assert its authority, especially as the region experiences a troubling resurgence of coups from the Sahel to the coast,” Ibrahima said.
She stressed that the will of Guinea-Bissau’s electorate must prevail and noted that ECOWAS institutions and member heads of state were aligned on sanctions and diplomatic interventions to reverse the military takeover.
The speaker further called for collective action to safeguard democratic gains across West Africa, citing it as essential for sustainable development.
“The voices of the people, expressed clearly and peacefully at the ballot box, must be respected. Persistent insecurity, economic crises, climate shocks, and unstable political transitions continue to test our region, but coordinated and united action remains our best defense,” she said.
Ibrahima urged deeper regional integration, stronger governance frameworks, and reinforced partnerships between West African states and global institutions to ensure lasting peace and democratic resilience.
