African leaders from ECOWAS held talks with Guinea-Bissau’s military government on Saturday to discuss the release of political prisoners and the country’s return to constitutional rule.
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, currently chairing ECOWAS, and Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye met with the junta, as well as opposition figures affected by the recent coup.
Domingos Simoes Pereira, who has been in detention since being barred from running in the November election, and Fernando Dias, an opposition candidate currently under asylum in a foreign embassy, were part of the discussions.
The meetings follow a military takeover in November, shortly after the presidential election, when President Umaro Sissoco Embalo was ousted and the electoral process was suspended. Since then, some opposition members have been released gradually, but the junta has not given a fixed timetable for freeing all detainees.
ECOWAS officials called for the unconditional release of political prisoners to create trust and allow progress toward a peaceful transition.
The junta, however, prefers a phased approach, citing security concerns.
Another point of discussion was the length of the transition period. While the military initially promised a one-year control, they now argue that a longer “security period” is needed before holding elections. ECOWAS continues to push for a short, structured transition with a clear timetable for returning to constitutional order.
The talks also considered the possible deployment of an ECOWAS standby force, which could act if the crisis worsens, though local authorities have expressed concern that such a force could threaten national sovereignty.
