Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1315th meeting (Emergency Session) held on 28 November 2025 on the emergency situation in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
The Peace and Security Council,
Reiterating the AU zero tolerance on Unconstitutional Changes of Government, in line with Article 4(p) of the AU Constitutive Act;
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Recalling Declaration [Ext/Assembly/AU/Decl.(XVI)] on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government, adopted by the 16th Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, from 27 to 28 May 2022; the Decision AHG/Dec.141(XXXV) and AHG/Dec.142(XXXV), adopted by the 35th Ordinary Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Algiers, Algeria, from 12 to 14 July 1999; the Declaration on the Framework for an OAU Response to Unconstitutional Changes of Government, adopted by the 36th Ordinary Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Lomé, Togo, from 10 to 12 July 2000 (the Lomé Declaration); as well as the Solemn Declaration of the 50th OAU/AU Anniversary adopted in Addis Ababa on 25 May 2013;
Also recalling its previous decisions on the situation in Guinea-Bissau and reaffirming the AU respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau;
Reaffirming the AU solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau in their legitimate aspirations to promote good governance, democracy, development and prosperity in their country;
Taking note of the Opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cameroon to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for November 2025; the statement by H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the AU Commission; the briefing by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; and also taking note of the statement by H.E. Ambassador Maria Antonieta Pinto Lopes D’Alva, Permanent Representative of Guinea-Bissau to the AU, as the concerned country and by H.E. Ambassador Harold Saffa, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the AU, in his capacity as the Representative of the Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); and H.E. Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; and
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:
1. Notes with deep concern and strongly condemns, the seizure of power by the military on 26 November 2025, a grave obstruction to the democratic and constitutional order, which undermines vital prospects for stability, and the rule of law expressed by the people of Guinea-Bissau; and totally rejects the Unconstitutional Change of Government in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, which took place on 26 November 2025, in blatant violation of AU principles and normative instruments, particularly the African Charter on Elections, Democracy and Governance, and the 2000 Lomé Declaration;
2. Decides, accordingly, in line with relevant AU instruments, particularly Article 7 (g) of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, and Article 25 (1) of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, to immediately suspend the Republic of Guinea-Bissau from participating in all activities of the Union, its Organs and Institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country;
3. Fully supports the Communiqué of the Extraordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council at the level of Heads of State and Government convened virtually on 27 November 2025; and welcomes the Press Release of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, issued on 26 November 2025 which unequivocally condemned the military coup d’état in Guinea-Bissau; also welcomes the Joint Statement on the post-election situation by Heads of the AU Election Observation Mission, the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission and the West African Elders Forum issued on 26 November 2025;
4. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained electoral officials and all other political figures and those who participated in the elections and underscores the need to ensure their safety and dignity;
5. Calls upon all Member States of the AU and the international community including bilateral and multilateral partners, to reject this unconstitutional change of government and to refrain from any action likely to grant legitimacy and or support, to the illegal regime in Guinea-Bissau;
6. Also calls upon the military leaders in Guinea-Bissau to respect the laws of the land, and the will of the people, and to this end, allow the National Electoral Commission to finalise the tabulation and proclamation of the results of the elections as well as accompany the electoral process to the end with the inauguration and assumption of office of the winner;
7. Demands the military leaders of Guinea-Bissau to urgently and unconditionally uphold the principle of constitutionalism, and to refrain from further interference in the political processes in the country, failing which the Council will institute targeted sanctions against all the actors involved in the military coup d’état;
8. Strongly commends the citizens’ peaceful conduct throughout the election period, as an expression of democratic maturity and a foundation for national unity and stability and urges them to remain calm, refraining from all acts that could fuel further violence and to prioritize the supreme interests of the country and its people above all else;
9. Directs the AU Commission, in close cooperation with ECOWAS, the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) and all other international development partners to provide the requisite support to Guinea-Bissau to ensure a swift return to constitutional order, including national dialogues and reform of government institutions towards establishing national unity for peaceful resolution of the crisis in the country;
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10. Calls on the leaders of the coup to guarantee the safety and facilitate the evacuation and safe passage of all AU Election Observers and all other international election observers;
11. Supports the strengthening of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau to continue to protect state institutions and prevent further violence;
12. Requests the AU Post-Conflict, Reconstruction and Development Center in Cairo in collaboration with the UN peacebuilding institutions to engage with the relevant institutions in Guinea-Bissau to provide support on development activities in order to prevent the country from further relapses into political crises;
13. Also Request the Chairperson of the Commission to establish an inclusive AU Monitoring Mechanism in collaboration with ECOWAS and all other relevant stakeholders, to closely follow up the situation in Guinea-Bissau, especially the implementation of the ECOWAS and PSC decisions;
14. Expresses appreciation to H.E. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, Former President of the Republic of Mozambique, for his leadership during and post elections period in Guinea-Bissau in his capacity as the Head of AU Election Observation Mission;
15. Agrees to hold a PSC Meeting at Heads of State and Government level on the margins of the upcoming AU Summit in February 2025 dedicated to discussion on the resurgence of Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa; and
16. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
