The ECOWAS Parliament has strongly condemned the recent coup d’état in Guinea-Bissau, denouncing it as an intolerable blow to democratic governance and a direct challenge to regional peace.
The position was delivered on Tuesday during the opening of the 2025 Second Ordinary Session of the Parliament in Abuja, a sitting convened at a moment of growing anxiety over democratic reversals across West Africa.
Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima—represented by First Deputy Speaker and Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau—said the military takeover was especially disturbing because it followed a peaceful electoral process that had reaffirmed the will of the people.
She stressed that the coup violated ECOWAS’ long-standing zero-tolerance policy for unconstitutional changes of government.
The two-week parliamentary session, coinciding with the institution’s 25th anniversary, has been designed to examine key issues shaping the region’s future.
These include consideration of the 2026 Community Budget, ongoing legislative reforms, gender parity initiatives, political inclusion for women, national reports from member states, and engagements with development partners.
Wednesday’s proceedings have been set aside entirely for an in-depth debate on the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau.
According to Ibrahima, the coup represents a constitutional rupture that deepens West Africa’s already complex challenges—ranging from insecurity and economic shocks to fragile transitions in several states.
She noted that ECOWAS cannot afford further destabilisation at a time when the region is witnessing a resurgence of coups stretching from the Sahel to the coastal states.
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The Speaker reaffirmed that ECOWAS stands firmly with the people of Guinea-Bissau and insisted that their democratic choices must be restored.
She disclosed that the heads of state and ECOWAS institutions are aligned on a combination of sanctions and diplomatic mechanisms aimed at reversing the military takeover.
Ibrahima called for unified regional action to defend democratic values, stressing that development in West Africa depends on the protection of institutional stability.
She argued that democratic systems must be strengthened, not only by responding to coups but also through proactive governance reforms, improved transparency, and stronger citizen participation.
She emphasised that the fundamental voice of the people—expressed peacefully through elections—must remain sacrosanct.
The Speaker also urged deeper regional integration, stronger governance frameworks, and more robust collaboration between ECOWAS member states and global institutions to tackle emerging threats.
The session is expected to produce recommendations that will guide ECOWAS’ collective response to the Guinea-Bissau crisis, reinforcing the bloc’s position as the frontline defender of constitutional order in West Africa.
