African Union suspends Guinea-Bissau’s membership in its bodies — AFP

The African Union has made the decision to suspend the participation of Guinea-Bissau in all of its institutions following the military coup, AFP reported citing Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.

The African Union has decided to “suspend” Guinea-Bissau “effective immediately,” the agency reported. No official statement on the subject has yet been published.

Earlier, an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) made a similar decision. Also, the summit ruled to form a team of mediators to consult with the military who seized power in the country. It includes the presidents of Cabo Verde, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

On November 26, the military seized power in Guinea-Bissau through a coup, ousting President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. The armed forces announced the suspension of all state institutions, transferring complete authority to the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order. Major General Horta Inta-a was appointed its head and was sworn in as the interim President of Guinea-Bissau on November 27. Under an arrangement with ECOWAS, the military released Embalo from custody and escorted him to Senegal on Thursday night.

The military also ordered a halt to the vote counting in the recent presidential and parliamentary elections. The electoral commission had been scheduled to announce the final results on November 28. Embalo had participated in the presidential election, seeking a second term in office.